Jimmy Fallon has been challenged to put his money where his mouth is. The Tonight Show host faces a $1 million bet over his endorsement of an aviation company.
Culper Research, a firm whose goal is to "expose companies which have misrepresented their operations, failed to disclose significant risks, misused capital, possess accounting irregularities, or otherwise deceived investors," called out Fallon for his relationship with Archer Aviation. The company develops electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for air taxi services.
Per Culper, Fallon has been paid to promote Archer Aviation on The Tonight Show. CEO Adam Goldstein appeared on the May 16 episode and discussed the company's partnership with the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Culper also pointed out Fallon appeared at a promotional event for Aviation in New York.
According to a published report from Culper, "Archer has systematically misled, deceived, or outright lied to investors about virtually every supposed milestone related to its development and testing of its eVTOL aircraft, Midnight."
The research firm is so confident in its assessment that it's putting up $1 million for a bet with Jimmy Fallon. Culper requests that Fallon take a flight in Archer's aircraft by July 2028 to prove his confidence in the company. If Fallon accepts, Culper will give him $1 million. If he refuses, the firm promises to donate the $2 million to charities in Los Angeles and New York City.
Fallon hasn't publicly responded to the bet from Culper. It's also unlikely that he'll get involved with the public challenge. Archer probably has its own plans to get Fallon in the air if he really is a company spokesman. When exactly that could happen, only the aviation company knows.
But if for some reason, Fallon was feeling good about the bet, he certainly could afford it. The $1 million price is a drop in the bucket for someone with Fallon's net worth. It would work out to be a mere 1/16th of his reported Tonight Show salary.