There may not even be a point in writing this. Whether you like Seth or Jimmy more is a
matter of preference. No, I’m not
talking about boy names for a child. I’m
referring to the NBC late night talk hosts Jimmy Fallon (of the Tonight Show)
and Seth Meyers (of Late Night). If
you’re actually reading this, I’m going to assume you watch one or both of
these guys, or at least you are thinking about watching them. And if you already watch them, you probably
already have an opinion about them, and you probably already prefer one of them
over the other one (or perhaps you prefer neither). I suppose, therefore, this writing is
directed toward those who say, “How is Jimmy Fallon not everyone’s
favorite?!”. Well, allow me to retort.
Jimmy Fallon is the goofy boy you want to hang out with in high
school. He’s fun, laid back, witty, has
a great laugh, and is just a cool guy.
Seth Meyers is a good friend you make in college – a friend you have
lots of fun with, but also a friend you enjoy conversing with at a more mature
level. You have fun, but you feel that
you’re learning something with him or her, too.
I like Jimmy. He has funny
monologues, great comedic bits, great celebrity guests, and fun games that he
plays with those guests. It’s
entertaining. Where I begin to lose
Jimmy is during the interview portion of his show – the part where he is
actually supposed to converse with the guest.
If case you haven’t watched his show -- or in case you haven’t noticed
-- here is a rundown of what he often says: “Oh, he’s the best. She’s the greatest. He’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet. She’s fantastic and hilarious. I loved this movie. This TV show is great. You’re one of my favorite guests. Come back every month. Now let’s play a game!” His comments about so and so come off as
perfunctory and a bit superficial, though I don’t doubt his passion. I know he’s not superficial, but it sometimes
feels that way. He just seems really
eager to stop talking and start playing a game.
On the other hand, maybe he just really thinks that everyone is the
greatest at everything everywhere.
I love Seth. He has a sense of
humor distinct from Jimmy and many other late night hosts. He doesn’t rely as heavily on Twitter for
most of his comedic bits. He has 2-3
guests per show, and sometimes 1-2 of them aren’t even actors. He has had journalists, news anchors, poets,
authors, screenplay writers, and producers.
He also uses the interview portion to engage in a real dialogue with his
guests, and while the conversation is still humorous, I actually feel like I’ve
learned something new from the conversation.
I feel more engaged. As an added
bonus, Seth is a major media nerd, and he even talks about being eager to “geek
out” with that night’s guest. As a
fellow media nerd, I find this to be one of the most enjoyable parts of Late
Night for me.
At this point, some of you may think I’m implying that Jimmy is without
talent or skill. I am not saying
that. On the contrary, he is very talented!
In the six months since he took over the Tonight Show, he has amassed a huge
number of fans, he has reinvigorated interest in the show, and he has earned an
Emmy nomination for best variety series all in his inaugural six months. He is also a gifted singer and dancer –
talents he displays on his show every week.
The guy is very talented; there is no denying that.
Again, this really comes down to a matter of personal preference. I will continue to watch both Jimmy and Seth
– they both fill a need. Jimmy fills the
need I have to be entertained and to see actors and actresses just having
fun. Seth fills the need I have to take
something away from conversations and to learn.
They fill two different needs. And
for me, the latter need is bigger.
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