Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel all chime in on ‘Tonight Show’ saga (video)
Before we move on from the breaking news in the late-night word today, it only seems appropriate that we share a few more quotes about how many of the hosts across network TV chose to address what seems to be the end of an era, at least unless NBC brings Jay Leno back to host “The Tonight Show” again.
Let’s start with Leno himself, who opened his show with what was ultimately a pretty gracious announcement about Fallon getting to take on what has to be one of the most coveted gigs on all of television, before of course eventually descending back into yet another joke about his employer in NBC:
“I want to congratulate our good friend Jimmy Fallon. He is a hell of a guy! He’s going to do a great job. I just have one request for Jimmy: We’ve all fought, kicked, and scratched to get this network up to fifth place, now we have to keep it there! Jimmy, don’t let it slip into sixth. We are counting on you!”
Meanwhile, in starting off “Late Night,” Fallon expressed his gratitude to Leno before making sure that everyone who watches “Late Night” knows that his show is not really going to change at all over the course of the next several months:
“This is Late Night with Jimmy Fallon…For now. You guys probably heard the news – I’m going to be taking over The Tonight Show next February! But don’t worry. Until February, our focus is right here on whatever this show is called.”
Finally, Jimmy Kimmel over on ABC expressed his disappointment after coming to the realization that he was not actually hosting “The Tonight Show” moving forward, and the reigns were instead being handed to someone else with the same name:
“As you probably heard — it was announced officially today — that, starting in February of next year — after the Olympics — I will take over as new host of The Tonight Show. I spoke to Jay on the phone today. … Excuse me for one moment. OK. Ummm — apparently it was a different Jimmy. Are you sure? Hold on. … OK — turns out, I will not be hosting The Tonight Show. Does anyone know what the return policy is on yachts?”
If you want to see what David had to say about this change from his perspective, you can do so over at the link here.
Photo: NBC