Last night, as The Tonight Show went into Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, viewers were treated to a duet by Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon. Amid all the rumors about Jimmy Fallon replacing Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, the two hosts got together via phone to address the issue by singing a variation on “Tonight” from West Side Story.
[February 2014 Update: The video of the entire duet is no longer available from NBC, so below is a story about the segment that features a short clip of the duet.]
Reportedly, Fallon came up with the idea and after Leno agreed to do the bit, some of the Late Night staff flew to California to tape the Jay Leno part.
April 3, 2013 Update: NBC has confirmed that Jimmy Fallon will replace Jay Leno on The Tonight Show starting after the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Who is your favorite late night host? Leave your two cents in the comments.
News reports today are saying that Donald Trump is suing Bill Maher for $5 million dollars because of a joke Maher made at Trump’s expense. After Donald Trump made his famous offer that he would pay if President Obama released his college transcripts, Maher responded to Trump with his own offer on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, creating the basis for the lawsuit.
On The Tonight Show, Maher referred to his “New Rules” segment on his own Real Time show, when they had supposed that “Donald Trump had been the spawn of an orangutan. . . .” Then Maher added, “I’m not saying it’s true . . . . But unless he comes up with proof, I’m willing to offer $5 million to Donald Trump that he can donate to a charity of his choice.” The video is no longer available for embedding, but you may watch it on YouTube.
After Maher’s “offer,” Trump presented his birth certificate proving that he is not the son of an orangutan. Salon reported that Trump even explained that he did not believe Maher was joking. While Maher’s line on Leno was not one of his cleverest jokes (and I’ve often thought that most Trump hair jokes are lazy attempts at humor), I suspect that everyone else in America got the joke. If it goes that far, I am sure the courts will figure it out quickly (although some folks think Maher should pay).
Since Donald Trump has proved he is not the world’s most famous orangutan, it raises the question of who carries that title. While some may make a case for Clyde from Every Which Way But Loose (1978), the most famous orangutan in film is probably King Louie from Disney’s The Jungle Book (1967). Louie in the film is voiced by singer and trumpeter Louis Prima, who passed away in 1978, while Baloo’s voice is from Phil Harris. King Louie’s big moment is “I Wanna Be Like You,” a song written by Robert and Richard Sherman (the pair who also wrote Walt Disney’s favorite song).
This interesting video at the link (not available for embedding) explains how some of the animated action was inspired by Prima and his band. Prima used to lead his band members in a line into the audience, which was copied by the animators when they had King Louie lead his short procession. Also, in the movie, King Louie plays his hands at one point like Louis Prima played his horn. Prima’s dance moves provided further inspiration. Unlike Donald Trump, Louis Prima did not mind being associated with an orangutan.
Who can hear “I Wanna Be Like You” and not feel happy? So, for Mr. Trump, here is a little something to cheer you up (without implying any relation between you and the singer).
Who is your favorite orangutan? Leave your two cents in the comments.
We generally think of Conan O’Brien as the nerdy guy who was a writer for The Simpsons before getting his break as the awkward replacement for David Letterman’s late night show on NBC. We enjoyed rooting for him as his talents developed, leading him to take over the coveted Tonight Show. Then, during NBC’s decision to effectively push O’Brien out of the Tonight Show time slot after its failed experiment with Jay Leno in prime time, we were on the side of the underdog with Team Coco. The documentary, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop (2011), which follows O’Brien on his post-NBC tour of the U.S. and Canada, shows another side of O’Brien, as a star who is kind of a jerk.
The documentary, now available on DVD and Blue-ray, gives an insider’s look at O’Brien during the tour he put together to keep himself busy during the time where he was prohibited by his NBC settlement from appearing on TV. The movie shows the somewhat slapdash nature of the tour, where the idea was followed by selling tickets before actually putting together a show. Of course, O’Brien and his crew knew he had the talent to put it all together, and the film shows a successful tour that allowed O’Brien to connect with fans from around the country.
The film also shows O’Brien behind the scenes, where in candid discussions, often while he is exhausted, he reveals that underneath the way he ended The Tonight Show in a positive way, he was understandably bitter about the way NBC treated him. O’Brien is also conflicted about his feelings, recognizing that he has been given opportunities and money way above what most people can even dream about, but his feelings are nevertheless honest.
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop also reveals O’Brien as something besides the happy-go-lucky man portrayed on late night television. He often dishes out barbs and good-natured punches to the people who work with him, knowing that they have to take it all as part of their job without complaint. We also see another side of him as he whines about his exhausting schedule throughout.
To say he is a “jerk” might be too harsh, as the movie really just shows he is human, perhaps with an understandably larger ego than a non-celebrity but probably a lesser ego than most celebrities. There are shining moments, not the least of which is the fact that O’Brien must have approved everything in the film, and he does not hide his warts, which is refreshing. He could have made a glossy movie that only made him look good, but he went for something more honest instead.
O’Brien seems self-aware about the circus that surrounds him, as well as his good fortune. In one scene, apparently in his kitchen at home, he honestly talks about how he uses humor sometimes as a way of criticizing others. We also see that he has genuine relationships with several people besides his family. He never seems condescending to his on-screen pal Andy Richter, and the two genuinely seem to respect each other. Also, his main assistant who is featured in much of the film is a woman who enjoys the exchanges with O’Brien and seems to be one of the few who can stand up to O’Brien.
Conclusion? Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop is an entertaining documentary about a celebrity, revealing a another side of O’Brien’s life and a human side of the man. I’m still on Team Coco.
What did you think of Conan O’Brien in Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop? Leave a comment.
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, gives an insider’s look at O’Brien during the tour he put together to keep himself busy during the time where he was prohibited by his NBC settlement from appearing on TV. The movie shows the somewhat slapdash nature of the tour, where the idea was followed by selling tickets before actually putting together a show. Of course, O’Brien and his crew knew he had the talent to put it all together, and the film shows a successful tour that allowed O’Brien to connect with fans from around the country.