A Will Ferrell-Chad Smith drum-off on ‘The Tonight Show’

Finally setting rumors to rest that actor-comedian Will Ferrell and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith were the same person, both men turned up Thursday night on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and faced off in an old-fashioned musical cutting contest.

Playing off comments made to each over the years that they look like the other, Ferrell and Smith turned up on set in identical outfits, backward baseball caps, leather jackets, KISS T-shirts and faded blue jeans.

“A lot of people think that it’s me playing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” Ferrell said in a recent Reddit session when a fan commented on the issue. “But that would be an insult to Chad Smith. The truth of the matter is there is no Will Ferrell. Only Chad Smith.”

Fallon, who recently went vocal cord-to-vocal cord with actress Emma Stone in a lip-sync battle on the show, allotted them each four solos in which to one-up the other musically and rhythmically.

After taking position behind matching drum kits, Smith turned to Ferrell and said, “Ladies first.” Ferrell subsequently taunted Smith several times, in one moment asking in a childish voice, “Looks like baby learned how to play the drums!” and later responded to one of Smith’s solos by saying, “That was cute. Do you play for the Lukewarm Chili Peppers?”

The segment ended in a blaze of rock ‘n’ roll glory when the rest of the Chili Peppers turned up for a run through of Blue Oyster Cult’s rock anthem “Don’t Fear the Reaper.”

Smith had recently agreed to engage in a drum-off with Ferrell for charity, Ferrell’s recipient being Cancer for College and Smith going to bat for Little Kids Rock.