Jim Jam Jones The Fallon

I just spent a half hour writing up this post, saving as I went along, and all of a sudden it backed into the last page, and nothing was saved. Goddamn it, I hate everyone. Please enjoy my second, and much worse, draft.

In just under a month, my second favorite Late Night host will take over The Tonight Show, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for him.  I have been a fan of Jimmy Fallon’s since his days at  the Saturday Night Live Weekend Update desk, but I feel like he really blossomed as a performer in the late night format.  He’s proven just how underrated he was as a performer on SNL,  and in the talk show format, he’s been able to showcase his talent, especially his musical impressions.  

The major thing that sets Jimmy Fallon’s run as Late Night host is his incorporation of the internet into the show.  Just as Conan O’Brien’s cast of ridiculous characters and off-set bits set his show apart during his tenure as Late Night host for its loveable goofiness, Jimmy’s inclusion of internet culture connects with my generation, and does so brilliantly. The level of ‘audience participation’, ie Twitter bits, ect,  plays to the way my generation operates, and makes you feel included in the Late Night family, something that the other late night show hosts have not been able to accomplish.  I sincerely hope he is able to bring that to the Tonight Show; it’s what keeps his show youthful and fresh.  

I’m also incredibly excited that The Roots will be moving to the 11:30 timeslot with him. They are a huge part of the character of the show, complimenting  Jimmy Fallon’s style in the same way the Max Weinberg Seven were able to with Conan.  They are as much of a character on the show as The MW7 were, bringing a hipness  and insane level of talent to the format that hasn’t really been seen before. 

Conan O’Brien has been one of my major comedy influences. I started watching his show when it was next day syndicated on Comedy Central when I was in eighth grade, and his level of madcap jokery is still unmatched. That weird, character driven humor just worked for the 12:35 timeslot. Without actually getting into the 2009 late night mix up debacle,  I understand why it didn’t translate 100% to the Tonight Show for older audiences, especially ones who were used to Jay Leno’s brand of comedy, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about that same difficult transition happening with Jimmy Fallon.

All that being said, I am excited to see what Seth Meyers will be doing with the 12:35 slot. Lorne Michaels knows what he’s doing when it comes to late night hosts, and I sincerely hope that audiences will give Seth a shot.  I know a lot of people don’t like him, but I have faith he can take the show in a new direction. 

Please enjoy a selection of my favorite bits from the last five years of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 

 
Late Night Hashtags #fakejayzlyrics
The actual bit in this isn't that funny, but the banter between Jimmy, Higgins and the Roots is fantastic. Still waiting for LL Cool J's single, "Mini Van"




 Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen sing "Whip My Hair"





 History of Rap feat. Justin Timberlake 1-4
Again, the real stars of this are the Roots.



Meet the Ragtime Gals
DAMN IT, they don't have video of the one I wanted to post, Ragtime Gals sing "It Wasn't Me" by Shaggy, but this is a close second.




 The Doors sing Reading Rainbow. My hands down favorite. Everything about this is insane, down to the details of the backing band.

I didn't include any of the hilarious show parodies the Late Night team has done from "7th Floor West" to "Game of Desks", because I couldn't choose which one to post.