Jimmy Fallon revives “The Tonight Show”

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From The Denver Post:

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – week 1

Four nights in, our party host is firmly in control. Not only has Jimmy Fallon offered a barbershop quartet version of R. Kelly’s “Ignition,” a dance-off with Will Smith, charades with Tim McGraw and Emma Thompson, and a sketch with First Lady Michelle Obama (in which he played a tween girl, “Ew!”).
Fallon, Will Ferrell, Michelle Obama

Not only has he welcomed Joan Rivers back into the inner circle after she was exiled by Johnny Carson/Jay Leno for years for committing the sin of launching her own rival late-night show.
Not only has he pushed updated the operation from the analog era of “Jay-walking” to align with the digital present. #hashtagnation #hashtaggame #latenightearlier.
Not only has it been a visual treat to see 30 Rock’s rooftop, some of the most valuable real estate in the world, used as a concert stage. U2 and Arcade Fire (doing a video selfie!) Not only that, but Fallon has proven that smart pre-taped music and dance pieces — and Brian Williams edited into rap artistry — seamlessly inserted in the hour take it to a level. The only misfire of the week so far was the Kristin Wiig as Harry Styles interview (did she lose it? was she out of it?)
Fallon has energized “The Tonight Show” as promised. His laughter is contagious. It’s a ratings success so far (7 million viewers check it out nightly; locally KUSA reports a 29 share average, the average for Leno in January among adults 25-54 was an 8 share, although the Olympics and first-week curiosity must figure in.) It’s also qualitatively reinvigorated from the old Burbank days. All that — and we haven’t even gotten to tonight’s Justin Timberlake appearance, which very likely will be a viral keepsake.


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