The first installment of Jimmy Fallon’s "they’re giving me a late-night show, guess I’d better practice" video blog went up on nbc.com at 12:35 a.m. last night, and it was sort of…what? Short? Hyper? Not "funny"? Take your pick. Little more than a minute and a half of SNL’s former Weekend Update host speaking quite rapidly about the new studio (6B, former home to Milton Berle, Jack Parr, and Carson, before the latter moved to L.A.), the segment was perhaps most notable for pointing out the first thing Fallon’s gotta practice not doing: hopping towards the camera with an almost Richard-Lewisian beseeching arm gesture every time he starts a sentence. It’s like watching Whack-a-Mole. But again, this is practice. (Conan sure as hell didn’t get any.) And I’ve always enjoyed Fallon’s tousled-hair boy thing — though now that he’s in Carson’s old studio, it might be time to put on the man pants.
What did you think, PopWatchers? Is this a guy you’d allow into your proverbial bedroom every night? Could you even get yourself to sleep with all that hopping? Do you plan to send in a suggestion, as he requests (and what will it be)? And is having the Roots as his house band basically the late-night equivalent of plopping two hyenas down in the herd of audience wildebeast to weed out the old?
More Jimmy Fallon:
Jimmy Fallon taking over for Conan O’Brien
TV Spotlight: Fallon, O’Brien, Leno
Margeaux’s Mix: The Roots join Late Night
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Love Jimmy Fallon! “Hes Barry Gibb!”
aw! he seems so nervous and jittery. I hope to see more of the jimmy fallon who would laugh during every sketch he had with horatio sanz. can he bring sanz on as his wingman? that would make my day!
and I wholeheartedly agree: the roots= greatest late night band ever!
I am going to send in a question – just as soon as I can think of a good one.
That’s Jimmy Fallon – and I can’t wait to see how he plays off the guys in The Roots.
Giving Conan’s show to Jimmy Fallon will go down in corporate history as being the only thing any executive has ever done that was stupider than New Coke. Jimmy Fallon wouldn’t know funny if mounted him in the shower.
Don’t think it will work. and you’re exactly right whitney, it will weed out any bit of the old that remains.
he did seem nervous, but ill give that too him since this is practice. i just tend to think that he’ll stay really fast to the point where you can’t always understand him.
we will see.
How can anyone tell how he’ll be as a host. It’s not like he was doing any comedy here. He was just doing some introductions. Jimmy has always been hyper too. It’s part of his charm. I also love the Roots. I’m willing to give him a chance. Conan sucked at first and look how far he’s come.
Aw, I thought he was just fine – nervous in a sincere, endearing way. I don’t think he was trying to be funny – it was more of an introduction of what he’s up to as he prepares.
But I’m rooting for Jimmy. I’ve had a mad crush on him since his WU days on SNL.
Even though I’m not the biggest Jimmy Fallon fan, I’m willing to give him a chance. Between the nightly vlog and The Roots as his house band, clearly he’s trying to do something different with the late night format. I admire that he’s reaching out to fans now, trying to involve them. Viewers will take ownership of his show before it even airs. That’s smart.
But, yeah. He needs to put on the man pants. Because if he does that twitchy, snickering man-child crap, I’m outta here. A talk show host needs a little authority in their delivery.
Yes he seems nervous but wouldnt you be if youre going to do a huge Late Night Show? I think he’ll be great.
I’ve know Jimmy since he was a freshman in college. He’s always been hyper. I’m curious to see how he does as a host and if he calms down at all
Obviously none of you remember Conan O’Brien’s debut on Late Night. Conan was a really funny writer but a sucky performer. The only reason I watched his show at first was to hear his theme music and Max Weinberg. Then Conan evolved into greatness. Give Jimmy a chance.
I wish him the best of luck, but I’ll be watching Craig Ferguson
I don’t think this was ever meant to be funny. Problem is, it wasn’t very interesting at all, and as far as I’m concerned, Fallon has no charisma whatsoever. Wait and see…
He is hot and that is enough of a reason to watch. Sexiest man on TV ever.
I liked Jimmy Fallon on SNL back when he was doing impressions of Adam Sandler on Celebrity Jeopardy & singing Halloween carols on Weekend Update. I even liked that he was in “Almost Famous.” I feel he has floundered since then. I still like him, but I may be more inclined to watch Ferguson more. Also, the house band is awful.