Episode 52

FIFTY- TWO!

MONOLOGUE: Cino de Hangover day! Hope you all had a good one. The Tina Fey improv with Steve Higgins was great. Old timey voices are my favorite and Higgins does a great job with them. Do you believe the video of the guy throwing himself a hail mary? I believe it. Dude! You’re getting Adele! That is if you like her music and want her new album. 

Completely agree with Jimmy’s assessment of Coldplay. They are a band that have evolved over the years and have gotten more and more complicated. Just look at their records, each one has a specific tone and style and it’s amazing.

PROS AND CONS: Having a Devil Baby in honor of the new show debuting on NBC this Sunday, but it have been a slow news week for them to make fun of themselves. I love A.D. Miles, and one of the biggest reasons why, is that, you look at him and you would have no clue he’s the head writer for the Tonight Show. A Brilliantly funny dude.  Pros and Cons: Having a Devil Baby

EW is back with a very hairy Seth Rogen. Not one of my favorite bits, but it is the second time they’ve done it on the Tonight Show; the first being with the first lady Michelle Obama. When did Zac Efron get so ripped? I must say, anything that uses the song TURN DOWN FOR WHAT, I get fired up."Ew!" with Seth Rogen and Zac Efron

GUESTS: Seth Rogen’s laugh is infectious. Fun to find out, he flew in to New York to do a four second bit on Jimmy’s first show.* Seth Rogen laughs way too much. He’s too jolly. We’ve also learned in this interview, he’s an incredible artist… Seth Rogen Sketches a James Franco Portrait

Matt Bomer, I have never heard of, or ever seen. Yet, he’s on the cover of every magazine apparently. 

*The $100 bet sketch.

MUSICAL GUEST: COLDPLAY!! I love this band. I’ve seen them once live, in Dallas, during the Mylo Xyloto tour, and it was quite the experience. Lasers, balloons, confetti, and those awesome LED bracelets that were timed to the music. Based on their SNL staging and here on the Tonight Show, I can only imagine every arena they play in will have hanging stars that light up. “Magic” is slowly growing on me, but for their first hit off the album, I’m not that big a fan. Also, going back to the Mylo tour, that band went nuts with the glow paint and the graffiti. It’s nice to see a much tamer Coldplay, where they all look normal.

BONUS COLDPLAY!!!  I actually think this is a better song than Magic. “Always in my Head” http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/segments/5456

Episode 51

FIFTY-ONE!

Is it just me or does Jimmy have the best suits? Hashtag, just saying.

MONOLOGUE: The White House Correspondents dinner took the lead in tonight’s monologue. From what I’ve read Joel McHale bombed, maybe he needed the horn Obama used!  I’ll be honest, I’ve been making Djibouti jokes for years!! You’re late to the party Jimmy! It took five minutes in for a Cinco de Mayo reference!? Rather surprising if you ask me. A lot of video elements to end the monologue, including the Kentucky Derby Jockey, who broke twitter over the weekend. Obama at Correspondents Dinner, California Chrome Wins Derby -- Monologue, Cinco de Mayo, Donald Sterling's Girlfriend Speaks -- Monologue

One of the things I love about Jimmy and the Tonight Show is the show’s love for music. It’s always cool when an artist sits in with the Roots. Crazy tonight they had a guy they made fun of weeks ago on Do Not Play These Songs. All that to say, the Roots have a new album coming out May 19^th, (same as Coldplay’s new album). How they had the time to write and record, I have no idea.  My guess would be, a lot of what we’ve seen on the show is demos of their new tracks.

POPULAR MATHEMATICS makes its second appearance on the show. This was one of my new favorite bits they do. It’s a fun little segment.Popular Mathematics: Kevin Spacey, Questlove, Board Games

GUESTS: Can you imagine being Bryan Cranston? You just come off what seemed to be, the biggest television season, in Breaking Bad, to starring on Broadway for his first show, and he’s nominated for a Tony.  Remember, this guy was on Malcolm in the Middle. We get a return of L-BJ from Thank You Notes a few weeks back, yep, still funny! Cranston wears ear extensions and lets Jimmy give them a try, thats fantastic! As was Cranston getting into character, LBJ, and do an improv with Jimmy on Cinco de Mayo. 

Seems that Jimmy has taken a game from the Whose Line is it Anyway book. In this bit with Jimmy, Cranston and Jimmy have words they have to put into a conversation, it’s fantastic to see improv, and it actually work. Seeing those two guys in tears laughing so hard trying to talk about Godzilla, (the movie Cranston is actually promoting), put this little game leading into a Godzilla clip as a top moment in Jimmy’s Tonight Show history. No question. That was hilarious.  Word Sneak with Bryan Cranston

Brie Larson is up next. Jimmy says, if you buy stock in new actors, she’s one to watch out for. For the record she looks like a younger version of Amy Poehler. It’s frightening. She seems nice enough… for now. Kid pictures always help humanize, and humiliate actors.

OOOOOO a science segment to end the show. More of these kinds of segments would be really cool. It’s something different than just people.  Uh…The foam potassium trick thing…AWESOME!!! THIS IS THE COOLEST SEGMENT!!  Why do I get a scientist vibe from Richie Rich with this guy? Kevin Delaney is the man!! Science Experiments with Kevin Delaney

Episode 50

FIVE - O!

Here we are 50 shows in! Can you believe it?! Only 96 more shows until Jimmy ties Conan’s number of shows hosting the Tonight Show… Something tells me he’ll pass that mark.

MONOLOGUE: Hold the phone… We have a Washington, Senate joke in the monologue? Seems like we have to go back to the Leno days to get a joke that involves Washington directly. Ah, the old Tonight Shows are back!* WHAT? Prince William and Prince Harry will be in Memphis this weekend? I WAS JUST THERE! Could’ve been royalty, MET royalty. My bad. 

* Started from the Rodham now we’re here.

Chris Kattan appearance! He must be making the rounds. He was on Late Night with Seth Myers last night, and on with old pal Jimmy Fallon tonight! Such as Mango! Jimmy Interviews a Youth Voting Specialist -- Monologue

Me and Jimmy have something in common. We both got on real late to the House of Cards train. I recently finished both seasons last month, and it’s just fantastic! 

THANK YOU NOTES! What a great way to end the week! It makes you wanna stick around to watch a late night talk show on a Friday night! This was a good set of notes as well. One of the better ones. Thank You Notes: Adam Silver, Donald Sterling's Girlfriend, 

RAGTIME GALS!! The best recurring bits Jimmy and the Tonight Show does! It’s just amazing! They asked Kevin Spacey to do this two days ago, and he’s been practicing everyday in the car on his press tour! The power of Jimmy and the want of celebs to play along with his goofiness. Ragtime Gals: Talk Dirty (w/ Kevin Spacey)

GUESTS: Kevin Spacey is an expert impressionist! You saw them in this interview, and here as well on Inside the Actors Studio from way back.Kevin Spacey's Impressions. If this interview on Jimmy teaches us anything, it teaches us, if we can do famous people accents we can get into Broadway shows for free. Kevin Spacey is so cool! He tells a story of being in a Shakespeare Travel Company, which he says inspired Frank Underwood (House of Cards). Interesting and entertaining interview where you can see just how much fun Spacey is having out there. Kevin Spacey Does a Great Johnny Carson Impression

Lewis Black is not my style of comedy, and I never have really liked him. But I will say this, he does have the stage presence of a professional stand up comedian, and that is worth something. Lewis Black Stand-Up

Episode 49

FORTY-NINE!

Big show tonight!! BIG SHOW!

MONOLOGUE:  Oh no… Mayor Ford leads the show. And there's TV's in Rehab so… The crowd instantly knows what was coming after that lead-in to HASHTAG, the Fallon Panda, holding the Canadian Flag. Jimmy with a solid Chris Rock impression we haven't heard since his days on SNL. This bit will never get old. Rob Ford Heading to Rehab -- Monologue

This was a solid monologue all around. Good set of jokes mixed in with some comedy bites, including the panda, and Kentucky Derby Horse Names. As well as Video from the failed attempt at a back flip from a college graduate. 

HASHTAGS: Jimmy's hashtag is always a worldwide trending topic on twitter, but my question is this. How many people who tweet with that hashtag realize it's from the Tonight Show and not just a random hashtag people start that goes viral? This panda thing is really getting crazy good. It's turned into a bit more fun for the Jimmy and the Roots just to see if they can stump the Panda! Tonight Show Hashtags: #KentuckyDerbyRap

GUESTS: Andrew Garfield has an accent?! Who knew! Looks strange with his head buzzed. Jimmy took a page from Leno's Tonight Show and re-created a packaged toy for a joke. They took a Spider-Man action figure with Andrew Garfield and made one for Jimmy as Spider-Man.

The Tonight Show turned into a karaoke night with Spidey! Andrew Garfield Plays The Spider-Man Theme

Motorcycle race! Whenever Jimmy uses the hallways outside Studio 6B I always think back to the days of Conan and the bits he'd do in that hallway as well.  Pocket Bike Race with Andrew Garfield

Wait, her name is Mary Lynn?! I just know her as Chole O'Brien of CTU. Mary Lynn is awesome and being an avid watcher of 24 and watched each season three times or more just fires me up for Monday!

MUSICAL GUEST:  It seems to me, Jimmy loves having on bands/acts that aren't as known to the public. And what a great platform for some of these artists to perform. Jay always seemed to have the hottest bands/singers on every night. Jimmy cares about the middle man, and tonight was another example of that Churchs. Heck, Jimmy said it himself, this band made their debut on his show last year. 

Episode 48

FORTY-EIGHT!

MONOLOGUE:  Donald Sterling and the Clippers still own the top of the monologue with jokes of different people wanting to buy the team. And why not transition from one hot topic to another, Rob Ford, Jimmy's favorite person!  From Ford we go to Russia jokes… You can clearly see the outline the show's writers jotted down when they had their meeting early Wednesday morning about the topics to talk about. A three hour Kanye West spoken word album? The jokes write themselves sometimes. The return of ripping James Poyser!! That album, he will never live down.  Kanye West Spoken Word Album, Canadian Indecent Exposure Arrest -- Monologue

The youthful, energetic Jimmy came out, in the second half of the monologue with him finding his inner Ellen and dancing all over the place. So much so, he was out of breath. Wait, did Jimmy really tell them to skip a joke because he didn't want to do it?! That's awesome.  Not as awesome as having the last name Popadick.

CELEBRITY PHOTOBOMBS IS BACK! In what was the greatest new bit, the Tonight Show has come up with; Jimmy and a celebrity photobomb people taking pictures on top of 30 Rock.  What the people don't know is that the camera is rolling and hilarity ensues behind them. First time they did this, it was Jon Hamm. This time it was Cameron Diaz and it didn't disappoint. With the show bringing this segment back for a second time in 48 shows, it clearly shows, this bit is here to stay, and will happen every month or so. Which is good, not overkill, fresh when it returns, and something to look forward too. "Tonight Show Celebrity Photobomb" with Cameron Diaz

One of my favorite things Jimmy did back on the old Late Night show (also something Carson used to do) is do a live commercial for a product. For the first time on the Tonight Show, Jimmy brought the live commercial back, a black and white Sinatra type ad for a new Jack Daniels Whiskey. Beautifully done and playfully executed. Love it!

IN REPLY TO: Not one of my favorite bits, but it masters the art of misdirection, and for that reason, it's kinda funny. In Reply To: George R. R. Martin, Captain America, Vladimir Putin

GUESTS:  David Spade, a comedy legend in his own right. Like him or hate him, he's had a pretty solid career (am I right? ((David Spade voice and hand movement))) What a great story of Spade's first Tonight Show experience with Carson! "Funny kid!" David Spade Recalls His First Tonight Show Appearance

Sophia Bush, You… Are… Adorable. That was a fun interview talking about her photo bombing Jimmy during an interview on the red carpet. Who knew she invented the "air hashtags".

MUSICAL GUEST was The Both. I saw her once on the Colbert Report singing with Ben Gibbard and it was beautiful. Wouldn't mind seeing the two of them collaborate for an album or something.