From the department of amazingly bad ideas comes this one.
Saturday Night Live alum Jimmy Fallon could be heading back to late night on NBC, but this time as Conan O’Brien’s replacement.
According to multiple sources, Fallon is close to a new overall
developmental deal with NBC, and those sources say one possibility
under consideration as part of the agreement could see the network
developing Fallon as a 12:30 a.m. replacement if and when incumbent
Conan O’Brien replaces Jay Leno on The Tonight Show in 2009.
Then again, these are the same geniuses who gave Carson Daly a tv show. And the same type of geniuses who gave Jimmy Kimmel one. Is it too much to ask that a tv talk host ought to be funny? Kimmel and Daly aren’t and Fallon was one of the lesser performers on a bad era of SNL. So they pick him to replace Conan, the funniest man in late night talk since Johnny Carson? Once again, mediocrity wins.
I think that dismissing this as a case of mediocrity winning in the late night circuit is a bit myopic given that we wouldn’t be talking about replacing Conan at all if he hadn’t been picked as Leno’s successor. Conan’s greatness HAS been recognized by the powers that be at NBC.
That said…yeah, Jimmy Fallon’s a pretty terrible choice for a replacement.
My personal pick would be Rob Corddry — he did a pretty solid job subbing for Jon on the Daily Show a couple years back. Guess we’ll see if his new show’s still on in a couple years.
Given that it’s a new show on Fox, I assume it’ll be cancelled within a half-season if it’s any good, dragged out several years if it’s not.
Have you ever noticed that die-hard Conan fans are a lot like die-hard Rush (the band) fans?
And that ain’t good.
Hey, it could be a lot worse. They could have tapped Dane Cook instead.
You’re just now waking up and noticing that TV networks put mediocre talent on the air?
Good morning to the brothers Van Winkle.
I know nothing about Rush, so could you explain that to me?
Rush fans are very cult-like. To their most rabid fans, every song they’ve ever written are the first songs in their list of the best songs every written. If you even dare to say there’s a better drummer in the world than Neil Peart, you’ll probably get something thrown at you.
Though I don’t see the similarities between them and Conan fans. That’s what Letterman fans were like before he went to NBC. Hell, many accused him of selling out because he started wearing shoes with his suits instead of sneakers.
I still remember when Conan was announced. 99% of people were like, “Who?” And now I have to agree that he is (and has been) the funniest late night guy on for some time now.
At least if Fallon’s hosting a talk show, it won’t be as awful for him to break out giggling as it was when he was in the middle of a skit on SNL.
And while I’m here, I’d like to take the opportunity to recommend Craig Ferguson, who I think might be the funniest non-Jon-Stewart man on late night TV right now.
At least if Fallon’s hosting a talk show, it won’t be as awful for him to break out giggling as it was when he was in the middle of a skit on SNL.
And while I’m here, I’d like to take the opportunity to recommend Craig Ferguson, who I think might be the funniest non-Jon-Stewart man on late night TV right now.
sorry about that.
it won’t be as awful for him to break out giggling as it was when he was in the middle of a skit on SNL.
Just gotta keep Horatio Sanz outta the studio.
Here is my hierarchy of likes and dislikes mentioned in the thread:
- I love Conan;
- I second the notion that Craig Ferguson is really great
- I like Rob Corddry
- I hate Fallon
- I hate Rush
- I hate Dane Cook. I used to only find him boring, but like George W. Bush, he’s got that special something that elevates him from mediocrity to all-time worst.
-Sanz is not worth discussing.
Just gotta keep Horatio Sanz outta the studio.
And Will Ferrell. And Christopher Walken (Jimmy almost singlehandedly submarined the Blue Oyster Cult skit).
-Sanz is not worth discussing.
Agreed. Sorry I brought it up.
I have to disagree with you on this one, Oliver. Jimmy Fallon may have been on SNL in a less-than-hilarious era, but he was by far the funniest guy there. He and Tina Fey were the best Weekend Update hosts since Norm McDonald, and his impressions were spot on too. He’s actually a very talented comic, if you’re willing to look past Fever Pitch. And that awful movie with Queen Latifah. But otherwise, a funny man.
But let’s look at the big picture: the world will be a better place when Conan is in Leno’s slot and I can watch him even when I don’t have insomnia. Case closed.
Norm McDonald? Funny? Oh, you can’t be serious.
I like McDonald, and yes he can’t ever make it through a sketch without laughing but I enjoyed Sanz as Hussein and Elton. Fallon is horrible, simply horrible. I hated Fey too, though I like her on 30 Rock. None of them can hold a candle to Amy Poehler and Darrell Hammond.
fallon was on during a bad era of SNL? he was on during the will ferrell era, the guy who single handedly resurrected the show. if you thought that was a bad era, you obviously have no idea what comedy is.
I just wish they’d stop the pretending and bring back Andy Richter. He was always funnier, and a much better on-camera performer, than Conan. Conan seems nervous and twichy, like a high school guy trying to impress a girl. Andy was THE SHOW before he left.
Ferrell was the exception to the rule. The show was very very bad under Tina Fey.
So much negativity over nothing.Fallon would do a great job with this
geez, oliver. you don’t like tina fey either? maybe you should talk to the emmys about that award they gave her back in 2002.
please no fallon or anybody from the current SNL… just randomly pick someone out of the daily show would be better than fallon…
Jimmy is so funny I love the idea! You must watch horrible leno or lettermen.
I like Conan, but I truly believe he’ll change a bit when he takes over the Tonight Show. As in he won’t do some of the type of skits he does now and things will change. Will he be funnier or less funny? That remains to be seen, but he won’t do as much gross out comedy I think. It will be like when Letterman went to CBS, he quit doing some of the stuff he once did and still did others like the Top Ten list and stuff.
As for Fallon. He does suck. Was on the View today and he was awful. Sang some lame song and was all nervous and stuff. He is not very good. To me on Saturday Night lIve, he was another Adam Sandler knock off with a bit of Dana Carvey added in. He just isn’t as good as either one of them. Well I am hoping someone els egets the show. Don’t know who it could be. But I will second the person who said Craig Ferguson. Only thing is he’s aiming to replace Letterman and not leaving CBS.