Jimmy Fallon Might Find Steady Work Two Years From Now
We are still two years away from seeing NBC's 11:30 pm-12:30 am slot emerge out from its current holding pattern in a Comedy Ice Age, a long overdue thaw in which Jay Leno's insufferable "stupid man on the street" interviews will finally be replaced by Conan O'Brien's sublime, Horny Manatee sensibilities. But who or what will fill O'Brien's hour remains very much up in the air: With manorexic Carson Daly hardly setting the late-night landscape on fire, NBC has begun to look elsewhere for a possible replacement, including former SNLer Jimmy Fallon. Reports the NY Times:
Executives aware of the negotiations said NBC had been in talks with Mr. Fallon and his representatives for a deal that would make his television services exclusive to the network. One of those executives, who did not want to be identified because the deal has not yet been signed, said the deal could include a crack at the "Late Night" host role, though it was by no means guaranteed.
We'd caution the comedian to think carefully before signing over his soul's exclusivity to NBC's rainbow-plummaged Beelzebub; he could end up disappointed to learn there will be no show with the words "With Jimmy Fallon" in the title, and instead his option will be exercised by a lesser NBC Universal property, such as delivering live red carpet coverage via satellite to resident Access Hollywood jackass Billy Bush.
