This month, NBC is significantly altering their late night programming with the departure of one late night host, the movement of another to an earlier time, and the introduction of a new host. Reinvigorating The Tonight Show and Late Night to accomodate the Sochi Winter Olympics, we say goodbye to Jay Leno, who ends his 22 year reign, as Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers take over both respective shows.
Taking over in 1992 for the iconic Jimmy Carson, Jay Leno has been hosting The Tonight Show for more than two decades. Except for a brief period, where Conan O’Brien took over, Leno has been a staple in enertainment for NBC. On Feb. 6, after a total of 4,607 counted jokes about Bill Clinton, Leno had his final episode. Featuring Billy Crystal as his last guest, who also was his first in 1992. Crystal surprised Leno with a musical performance of “So Long, Farewell” from The Sound of Music. Many celebrities and friends of Jay Leno appeared on stage to sing a verse, including Jack Black, Kim Kardashian, Sheryl Crow, Chris Paul, Jim Parsons, Carol Burnett, and Oprah Winfrey. Leno openly cried in his final goodbye.
“We wouldn’t be on the air without you people. Secondly, this has been the greatest 22 years of my life. I am the luckiest guy in the world. I got to meet presidents and astronauts and movie stars. It’s just been incredible,” Leno said.
He then remarked on how in the first few years of the show he lost everyone in his family, and he is so grateful for everyone working on the show who became his family. Before giving it away to Garth Brooks to sing “Friends in Low Places,” Leno signed off by quoting Johnny Carson, “I bid you all a heartfelt good night.”
Nearly 60 years old, The Tonight Show is the longest running entertainment program in history. Having over a half dozen hosts throughout its history, Jimmy Fallon is shaping up to continue the show’s legacy. Fallon began his career as a cast member of Saturday Night Live (SNL) then left in 2004 to work on his film career. In 2008, NBC announced that Fallon would be taking over Late Night once Conan O’Brien left. When asked about moving to The Tonight Show, Fallon says it will be “the same show” as Late Night.
“I’m not going to change anything. It’s more eyeballs watching, but it’s the same show.”
Fallon, who holds the highest audience of younger viewers, is looking to bring in good ratings for NBC. His first episode premiering this week will feature Will Smith and U2.
As for Late Night, Seth Meyers is looking to be an excellent future for a show that has for the most part been run by SNL alumni and writers, including Fallon and O’Brien. Up until the beginning of this month, Seth Meyers has been a significant member of SNL.
“This is the job I always wanted, and I had the best time and I met the best people,” Meyers said, choking up during his teary farewell.
Only giving him two weeks to prepare for his show, Meyers and his crew have been busy working up to their premiere. Fellow SNL alum and Portlandia star, Fred Armisen, will be the bandleader for the in-house band, the 8G Band. On Feb. 24, Meyer’s first show will feature fellow “Weekend Update” co-anchor Amy Poehler and Vice President Joe Biden. Not much else has been revealed about the show, but Meyers has plans to have SNL character favorites, like Stefon, appear on the show.
With Fallon and Meyers taking over as Leno leaves, NBC is embarking into a new era of late night programming. Both shows are likely to bring in the laughs and the viewers, as they cover current events and create original material.
Fallon remembers asking his parents as a kid if he could stay up and watch Johnny Carson and what an experience it was. Now that kids will be asking the same, only for him, Fallon remarks: ’“I want to give the best I can.”