Well, Jimmy Fallon debuted his version of the Tonight show last night. He did a nice job. The opening monologue (the first of two) was very nice, and it seemed that he genuinely appreciated his new gig. He poked fun at Jay Leno's return by saying something like, "This is the Tonight show, and I'm Jimmy Fallon, your host, for now;" but for the most part was very nice in his reverence for his predecessors and pointing out his parents in the audience.
It was fun how he did that first monologue, sort of conscious of his place in history. but then re-started the show with a "regular" topical monologue.
I also enjoyed the fun parade of stars who came out to give him $100 each having lost bets that he would never get to host the Tonight show.
I do wish that the show should not be based in New York, although I understand that he did not want to move everyone like Conan had to. I just think NBC had a good balance with Tonight based in Southern California (even giving Burbank a popularity it never had) and Late Night based in New York. Now, between these shows and SNL and Today, NBC is almost solely based out of 30 Rockefeller Ctr. Not balanced enough.
I am also not so sure that I like all these late, late night show guys simply bringing their old show with them when they get promoted to the broader audience of 11:30. David Letterman did it first, then Conan did it (except carrying everyone across country), and now Jimmy Fallon is essentially rebranding his Late Night show as the Tonight show with a slightly larger studio. Same band, same color scheme, same setup. All maybe a little tweaked, but it does not appear to be tweaked much. Even the opening is still essentially the same as he had had in late-late-night (a breathless, almost yelling announcer, rather than the more staid but upbeat voice Leno and Carson had had -- no Ed McMahon). Leno, on the other hand, had essentially a blank slate with a new band with a new (although somewhat familar style) set when he started (the first time).
We will see more as we go, and I like The Roots band, but I think of the Tonight show as a broader canvass than the late(r) night shows, which I think are better aimed at the college crowd. I think Jimmy Fallon has an intelligence, and a reverence for the institution that will help him, and I wish him success. He has it in him to follow in Carson's and Leno's shows (especially Carson's, whose shoes formed the path). I do hope that he broughdens it out at least a little.
What did you all think?
It was fun how he did that first monologue, sort of conscious of his place in history. but then re-started the show with a "regular" topical monologue.
I also enjoyed the fun parade of stars who came out to give him $100 each having lost bets that he would never get to host the Tonight show.
I do wish that the show should not be based in New York, although I understand that he did not want to move everyone like Conan had to. I just think NBC had a good balance with Tonight based in Southern California (even giving Burbank a popularity it never had) and Late Night based in New York. Now, between these shows and SNL and Today, NBC is almost solely based out of 30 Rockefeller Ctr. Not balanced enough.
I am also not so sure that I like all these late, late night show guys simply bringing their old show with them when they get promoted to the broader audience of 11:30. David Letterman did it first, then Conan did it (except carrying everyone across country), and now Jimmy Fallon is essentially rebranding his Late Night show as the Tonight show with a slightly larger studio. Same band, same color scheme, same setup. All maybe a little tweaked, but it does not appear to be tweaked much. Even the opening is still essentially the same as he had had in late-late-night (a breathless, almost yelling announcer, rather than the more staid but upbeat voice Leno and Carson had had -- no Ed McMahon). Leno, on the other hand, had essentially a blank slate with a new band with a new (although somewhat familar style) set when he started (the first time).
We will see more as we go, and I like The Roots band, but I think of the Tonight show as a broader canvass than the late(r) night shows, which I think are better aimed at the college crowd. I think Jimmy Fallon has an intelligence, and a reverence for the institution that will help him, and I wish him success. He has it in him to follow in Carson's and Leno's shows (especially Carson's, whose shoes formed the path). I do hope that he broughdens it out at least a little.
What did you all think?
