I remember when Jimmy Fallon was on Saturday Night Live I used to get a kick out of watching him lose it whenever a sketch would start to crack apart (usually it would be Jimmy that started it). Then after a while it started to get on my nerves. Of course you’re allowed to crack up once in a while, but every single sketch? Come on. But then something amazing happened — Jimmy Fallon got his own late night talk show, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, which debuted on NBC on March 2, 2009. The show has steadily increased in ratings (since the show’s premiere, Fallon has ranked number one or tied with its competitor ‘The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson’ an impressive 97% of the time. And in May 2011 ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’ reported a 13% increase in viewership compared to the previous year. Not too shabby Jimmy!)
This past weekend Jimmy returned to the SNL stage, this time as host (longtime SNL producer Lorne Michaels is also the Executive Producer of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon) and I was beyond impressed with not only how Jimmy has matured and perfected his comedic craft, but also by what turned out to be one of the funniest SNL episodes I have ever seen. His sketch “Sully And Denise: Cold Open” had me in stitches, and co-stars the amaaaaaaaazingness that is Rachel Dratch as well as Amy Poehler (if you live in America CLICK HERE to watch, and if you live in Canada CLICK HERE to watch). But the best of the bunch has to be his spot with Bridesmaids superstar Kristen Wiig who does the best damn Kathie Lee Gifford impersonation I’ve ever seen. Wiig and co-star Abby Elliott’s recurring take on the 3rd hour of The TODAY Show with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb always has me bustin’ a gut. Maybe it’s because the 3rd hour is always playing in the background in my home in the morning, but I can’t get enough of Wiig’s impersonation of Gifford. I seriously piss my pants each time. But adding to all the Wiigles this time is Jimmy’s spot-on Regis Philbin impersonation. So damn good. For a split second I swore it was 9:15am all the way back in 1995 again (if you live in America CLICK HERE to watch, and if you live in Canada CLICK HERE to watch). I also got a kick out of Michael Buble’s duo with Jimmy who does a hilarious Sting (if you live in America CLICK HERE to watch, and if you live in Canada CLICK HERE to watch).
To see the full gallery of Jimmy’s SNL skits from last weekend’s Saturday Night Live CLICK HERE if you live in America, and CLICK HERE if you live in Canada. For all things Jimmy, be sure to also visit his show’s website at LateNightWithJimmyFallon.com. Jimmy’s SNL appearance generated the show’s highest ratings of 2011.
