As you may have heard by now, NBC is eyeing Jimmy Fallon, of SNL, Adam-Sandler-esque songs not sung by Adam Sandler, and comedies involving Queen Latifah and vehicles fame, to replace Conan O'Brien when Conan replaces Jay Leno in 2009.
An NBC executive thinks Fallon would be a good replacement because "We know him from SNL and saw what he can do on-camera and off-camera, and I think he'd be terrific," but there are many other reasons, besides the vague, lukewarm assertions of a TV executive, why Fallon would be a good Late Night host.
In no particular order they are:
1. His hair. (Floppy = funny!)
2. Increased visibility and public awareness about unfunny, annoying Boston sterotypes.
3. A plethora of awkward interview clips for people to upload to YouTube, like this one from Fallon's guest hosting stint on Letterman a few years ago featuring Chloe Sevigny, flat Connecticut jokes, and an impressive stammer-to-coherent-speech ratio of 3 to 1:
[youtube:oNDCBv-QqKI]
4. His hilarious, unbridled enthusiasm for Pepsi products!
5. The continued existence of Adam-Sandler-esque Songs Not Sung By Adam Sandler as a genre.
6. The possibility, however remote, of a sequel to HBO's made-for-tv movie, The Late Shift, featuring the finest chin putty, floppy wigs, and Leno, Letterman, Conan, and Fallon impersonators HBO can afford: