Jimmy Fallon seems like a nice guy. He’s so painfully earnest and friendly, and people were giving him such a hard time when he was announced as Conan’s successor, that I started rooting for him (which, now that I think about it, how awesome would it be if he’s actually a total dick and this is just his master plan to get people onto his side?). Now, that didn’t necessarily make me believe that Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was actually a good idea in any way, but it definitely made me want to give it a chance.
Quite frankly, even though I tried to watch the premiere with an open mind, I kind of still expected it to be an awkward mess. Fallon is famous for not being able to not laugh at his own jokes, and while that can be charming in small doses, an hour of it would be tedious, at best.
While there were definitely heaping cups of awkward (especially in the opening monologue), it was actually very funny. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen: I watched Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and I laughed. Kind of a lot.The opening monologue is the trickiest part for any late night host. It’s been done in the same way for so long, that it’s difficult to get up there and not seem like a comedian doing an impression of an opening monologue. There’s the clasping of the hands, the leaning forward, and the mumbling continuation of the joke after the official punchline. Jimmy had all of that in spades, plus the extra bonus of looking as though he was going to crap himself/vomit at any second.
Watching the monologue was like watching a man with no legs attempt to tightrope. Of course he’s been practicing, but he has no legs. That dude is going to fall. I was on the edge of my seat, and it looked like he was wobbling, and then… and then Jimmy Fallon slow jammed the news.
He stopped the monologue and joined The Roots (which is the most impressive show band “get” since Conan snagged an E Streeter) in a slow jam about Nancy Pelosi and the stimulus package — and he won me over.
It’s the same kind of WTF moment that made Conan so great. You’re going along and having a standard late night show, and then all of the sudden there’s a masturbating bear or you’re singing soulfully about legislation. It cracked me up and was the first time I truly believed that Fallon really knew what he was doing here.
His first interview, with Robert DeNiro, blurred the line so completely between funny-awkward and uncomfortable-awkward, that I still don’t know what to think. DeNiro agreed to do the show and did a silly Space Train skit with Fallon, which indicates that he knew what he was getting himself into. However, he looked so uncomfortable and avoided eye contact with Jimmy so thoroughly, that if he was anything but actually bored and kind of unimpressed, I’d be surprised.
Justin Timberlake was the next guest, and was the beginning of Jimmy’s very smart strategy to populate the first several of his shows with his friends (former SNL co-star Tina Fey, and Drew Barrymore, his wife’s producing partner, are both scheduled on upcoming episodes). Timberlake wasn’t there to promote anything; he was there to hang out and remind America that they thought “The Barry Gibbs Talk Show” sketch on SNL was really funny– and to show off his uncanny and hilarious Michael McDonald impression.
In all, Jimmy’s months of preparation really paid off. He exceeded expectations and is clearly seeing this as a work in progress. He wants to do well, he wants you to like him, and I don’t think he’s going to rest until that is accomplished. While the jury is still out as to whether he’ll be able to emerge from Conan’s shadow, at the very least he’ll escape Pat Sajak’s legacy unscathed.
Clacked by Kona Gallagher 
on Mar 03, 2009 @ 16:00 EST5EDT
