The Chicago White Sox got some unexpected publicity on national television Monday night thanks to one of their fans.
In case you may have missed it, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ran one of their signature segments called “Screen Grabs.” During the bit, viewers of the program are asked to send in a variety of photos for Fallon to react to, with last night’s featuring a Sox fan who had a very faint resemblance to the talk show host.
The season ticket holder, Jake Von Esh, can be seen in the screenshot wearing a beer helmet with a pair of Modelos sticking out, a thick mustache, and a White Sox script sweatshirt. Fallon quickly copied the ensemble and did a side-by-side comparison, which can be viewed in the video below.
Von Esh was shocked by the clip when he first got word.
“My phone hasn’t stopped ringing since I woke up this morning,” the Cortland resident said when we reached out to him this afternoon. “Friends, family, strangers, everyone is enjoying it a lot.”
And it wasn’t just the free air time that was so fun for Von Esh. The shoutout on Fallon’s show held special meaning for Von Esh and his family – in particular, his late mother.
“I went through a whole range of emotions. I laughed and I cried. Not to be too sad, but my mom passed away a few years ago and she was a big Fallon fan. Fever Pitch was a staple film in our household. She would have lost her mind if she saw this, I know I did.”
As Von Esh alluded to, Fallon is no stranger to baseball. The one-time Saturday Night Live actor co-starred in the aforementioned Fever Pitch, a romantic comedy that was centered around Boston’s 2004 world championship season. Despite his character being a crazed Red Sox fanatic, Fallon hasn’t let that interfere with his real-life fandom. He’s been spotted many times at Yankees games, saying in interviews that he actively cheers for Boston’s AL East rival.
While a change in rooting interests to the South Side doesn’t appear imminent for Fallon, any and all exposure for the White Sox is most certainly welcomed. Even the team’s main Twitter account joined in to poke some fun at last night’s skit.
For more White Sox updates, be sure to follow us on social media @SoxOn35th!
Featured Photo: The Tonight Show/NBC
