Aug 19 2008 'Whip It!' Recreating the Magical Coupling of Fallon and Barrymore

Remember the night you first saw what what would become the defining baseball-themed romantic-comedy of your lifetime, Fever Pitch, and how as the house lights rose, illuminating a packed audience of satisfied smiles, you couldn't help thinking how you would do anything to see Drew Barrymore and that guy who cracks himself up together again? Well, your dream is coming true, only this time America's Official Sweetheart will be behind the scenes. Because she's a director. From /Film:

Jimmy Fallon has been cast in Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut Whip It! Fallon has been spotted by /Film sources on set of the roller derby dramedy playing “Hot Tub Johnny”, a cheesy hungover announcer who makes nasty comments to all the skaters. My sources have also spotted Andrew Wilson, brother of of Owen and Luke (fans of Wes Anderson know as “Future Man” in Bottle Rocket), who is playing a roller derby coach. The film stars Ellen Page as “an indie-rock loving misfit” who finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin Texas.

As much as I dislike the idea of Jimmy Fallon in movies (let alone in his own talk show), I have to trust Barrymore's instincts on this. Because she's a director. Drew Barrymore is a director.

Apr 25 2008 Jimmy Fallon to Crack Up Throughout 'Late Night'

As was rumored over a year ago, NBC insiders are saying Conan's Late Night crown will indeed be placed on the bed-headed hair of Jimmy Fallon, with the guitar-playing comic taking over next February. Why? I have no idea. Personally, I don't really have anything against the guy, but with that said, I've never met anyone under 40 who likes him, or anyone over 40 who knows who he is. What study have they done to show Fallon would be a successful Late Night host? Is there some massive Taxi fanbase I don't know about? An enormous cult following for ruining scenes with laughter? A new measurement of talent based around falsetto Barry Gibb impressions? Color me perplexed.

At least now we have an explanation for NBC's continued tolerance of Last Call with Carson Daly: they needed someone to lower the bar so much that even a guy in a hilarious skintight leather outfit* could step over it.

*As an example of the general apathy/disdain towards Fallon, I was unable to find a single image of his recurring SNL character, Leather Man.

Jimmy Fallon headed for 'Late Night' [Variety]