Jimmy Fallon's First Guest: Robert DeNiro

NEW YORK — If Jimmy Fallon is nervous about the premiere of his new gig as "Late Night" host, he'll have show-biz heavyweights Robert De Niro and Van Morrison to lean on. They'll be the guests for Fallon's March 2 debut hosting the NBC late-night show.

Fallon replaces Conan O'Brien, who has his final show Friday before heading out west to take over the "Tonight" show in June.

Morrison will perform material from his critically praised "Astral Weeks" album.

NBC says Tina Fey, Jon Bon Jovi, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Donald Trump and Serena Williams are among other guests scheduled for Fallon's first week on "Late Night."

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NBC is owned by General Electric Co.

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On the Net:

http://www.nbc.com/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/index.shtml

Comments

[Polly Tobin]

I watched Conan on his first week years ago and he was the worst! And he is still around..go figure.
Just loosen up Jimmy...let your natural funny come out, forget the ego. Good luck (p.s., great guests!).

[wrathofwonka2002]

Ughhhhh.......Fallon was and is the worst addition to the SNL cast ever.

[Roman777]

Jimmy Fallon sux.

[cottonyoung]

Sounds good to me - for those of us who don't have TV you can catch Fallon on Hulu - you can put hulu on your google homepage here: http://www.google.com/ig/adde?synd=open&source=ggyp&moduleurl=gingagadgets.com/lib2/gadget%3Fcaller%3Dhulu_viewer

[dben]

Talk show hosts today do not know how to talk. They are not capable of having actual conversations with people who are actually interesting. Their questions are irrelevant. Why? Because they're all performers themselves: comedians who are competing with the guests for audience attention. This is also why the only guests on late night talk shows are actors with movies to push or pop stars with albums to sell. Compared to the quality of guests on shows like Dick Cavett's this is a wasteland.

Have you watched O'Brien and Leno? It is absolutely painful. Especially Conan: same delivery, same joke (really), same punch line, same self-satisfied "I'm-laughing-at-my-own-joke" arrogance every night. His monologue is the SAME every night.

These guys grew up watching tv sitcoms with laughtracks and have absorbed and adapted that manic pablum. So they go around laughing nervously at their own jokes as if to fill in those awkward interstitial silences also known as "life". They should make prisoners at Guantanomo watch Conan. They could have used Conan tapes at the Branch Davidian compound instead of heavy metal rock music.

[7ShallFall]

DeNiro and The Roots, sounds like they're trying, I'll give him a shot. Fever Pitch wasn't bad.

[susou]

How about we give him a chance before we bash him for accepting an offer to host a late night tv show.

[DixieMelody]

Spending far-FAR too long watching him mug directly into the camera with that perpetual inappropriate smirk that became his trademark and ruining almost every skit he was in was the only "chance" I'm willing to give him.

[Obamanaut]

I don't get it. Why is there are so many people out there who think they know the minds of celebrities well enough to suppose how they will act on Jimmy's show? Number one, if these people have such disdain for Jimmy, or Fey, or whoever, why would they consent to be on the show in the first place. Quit living so vicariously through others because you may not be satisfied with yourself. Come on. Wish the guy luck. You don't like him, don't watch him. Simple. Bet you'd step in a steaming pile just so you can rail about it.

[Obamanaut]

I guess Poo-tree 602 isn't a fan.
Hey, Jimmy! Good luck, man. I think you'll do great!

[bluetree602]

Fallon will last two weeks. I don't care if his next guess is Jesus.

[madisonhack]

No...Sarah Palin is going to have Him on her show when she finally gets out of politics and does what she's been trained for.

[DixieMelody]

If Tracey Morgan's complete lack of talent coupled with his obnoxious attitude and delivery are enough to keep him on a hit show like 30 Rock week after week, then Fallon might hang on longer than anyone thinks.

[doglove]

Fallon does a very funny impersonation of Van. It was on one St. Patricks Day years ago.

[UsofA]

Okay, so neophyte talk show host Fallon starts his on-air talk show career with two of the most notoriously tough interviews in the business: DeNiro and Morrison. Both give monosyllabic answers mixed with impatient contempt for their interviewers. Neither is able to stomach fey or insipid questions; the type I'd predict from Fallon. So, while I was planning on ignoring Jimmy Fallon with the same dedication I ignore Graig Ferguson, I might have to tune in to Fallon's opening night just for the train wreck.

[sweetwhine]

I'm actually kind of shocked that DeNiro agree to it. He is notoriously uncooperative during interviews. Sometimes he's just down right rude.

[mommadona]

ZZZZzzzzzzZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

[Springbirdgirl]

I might watch simply because The Roots are going to be the house band...

[dmsdzinr]

How could ANYONE be worse than Conan O'Brien??? Never thought Conan was funny or a good talk show host. I expected Conan to last less than a year. Seems the networks just can't find good talent.
Looks like we will NEVER have someone as COOL & CLASSY as Johnny Carson again.