Jun 9 2009 Zack Morris Returns to Television
Last night on The Late in the Night Jimmy Fallon Hour, Fallon and his staff somehow convinced Mark-Paul Gosselaar that a good way to promote his show, Raising the Bar, would be to do the entire interview in-character as Zack Morris. I worry by the 8-minute mark of scripted banter, when "Zack" is picking up the guitar to perform Zack Attack's hit single, the sketch might cross the line from fun and nostalgic to uncomfortable and dehumanizing :
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]
