Get ready, all you night owls. Jimmy Fallon will be hosting “The Tonight Show” for the first time this Monday, Feb. 17.
Fallon has quite a lineup for his premiere next week as he gathers all A-listers in his direction. On his first night, guest Will Smith and musical guest U2 will be in the house to start off the season. Throughout the week his other guests include: Jerry Seinfeld, Bradley Cooper, Justin Timberlake and the First Lady herself, Michelle Obama. Also, as a nod to his former SNL co-stars, Kristen Wiig and Will Ferrell will make appearances. For his musical guests, Lady Gaga, Tim McGraw, Arcade Fire and Justin Timberlake will perform in the first week of airing. As this new era of late night television unfolds, other celebrities and his large audience of viewers have been praising Fallon for his accomplishments.
“You really going to do this?” Jerry Seinfeld asked Jimmy Fallon at a recent charity event.
“What do you mean?” Fallon replied.
“You realize there’s no end to this job,” Seinfeld explained. “You’ll just do this ’til you die. It’s the pope job.”
Jay Leno passed the torch to Jimmy Fallon, making him the sixth “Tonight” host in 60 years. The Boston Globe said, “Leno has graciously compared [Fallon] to (Johnny) Carson, the longest-tenured host of the show.” After stars such as Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Carson, Conan O’Brien and Leno, Fallon has big shoes to fill.
“Someone was saying that more people have walked on the moon than hosted ‘The Tonight Show,'” Fallon told the Seattle Times. “Me, I’ve done both, so that’s really good.”
“The Tonight Show” with host Jimmy Fallon will air after the Olympics at midnight Feb. 17-20, with the Feb. 21 broadcast to air in its regular time slot of 11:35 p.m.
