Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Fallon in Train Wreck TV

I don't want to say I told you so....

Jimmy Fallon was very uncomfortable right from the opening monologue last night. Was the hands-in-the-pockets delivery during the monologue an homage to Johnny Carson? I hope so and I hope they tell him to stop that tonight. And the jokes....very tepid.

Now there are worse things in life than sucking at your own heavily hyped talk show. But was it a good idea to impersonate Robert DeNiro in front of Robert DeNiro? What's the best result here? Is DeNiro going to laugh at Fallon....like he's a clown? Like DeNiro's here to amuse Fallon...like's he's a clown? (Sorry couldn't resist)

And this deliberate attempt to make it all technological and hip came across as lame and stupid. "Jimmy on Facebook!" Who cares? NBC wanted this apparent "pushing the envelope" to be in the same style as Letterman circa 1982. Who tune in...you never what's going to happen! Please.

Yes, this will be a work in progress for NBC. All talk shows musyt given a puncher's chance to smooth out the kinks. But seriously who made the decisionto cast Fallon? Is it the ssme guy who put Celelbrity Apprentice on Sunday nights at 9?

You get the feeling that NBC has totally lost its way? Memo to Jeff "Zippy" Zucker...You have to get involved here.

Tina Fey tonight--She should give him some good material. Or at least make him a little more comfortable.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Snowbound Monday!

Some random thoughts on a snowbound Monday: Twelve inches in CT. Snow in March is gay.

Call me crazy but I think Jimmy Fallon's new talk show (which debuts tonight) has a good chance of being Train Wreck TV. I saw Fallon guesting for Letterman during Dave's heart attack hiatus and he sucked. Visibly nervous. Don't get me wrong--I liked him on Weekend Update but some can't make the jump to carrying their own show. See Chase, Chevy. DeNiro--who rarely does television interviews--is Jimmy's first guest. I'll be sure to tune in ---at 12:30. CMON.

I'm watching the Baseball Network and they're in the middle of previewing the 30 baseball teams. Today? The Houston Astros. They are actually talking about Mike Hampton making 30 starts. Mike Hampton....If I wasn't doubled over in laughter, I'd actually explain it here.

Anyone catch Steve Kroft interviewing Harry Markopoulos last night on 60 Minutes? For those of you dumbasses who don't know, Markopoulos was the would-be Madoff whistleblower who sent five letters to the SEC urging the investigation into Madoff's firm. The SEC did nothing. Markopoulos told Kroft (I swear Kroft gets the best stories. Guy is Aces. Love Kroft.) the investigators at the SEC couldn't spot fraud, even if you instructed where to look. The SEC investigators simply don't have the sophistication. That's a damn strong statement. But then Markopoulos should know. He figured out the Madoff scheme in less than five hours. Great piece.

While we're at it, can we cut the shit with penciling in stats for certain players. Last year, some people who should know better, figured Yankee pitcher Phil Hughes was good for 18 wins. He finished the 2008 season with exactly zero wins. This year's hot rookie is Mark Melancon--who's being touted as Mariano's replacement in waiting. Can I at least see Melancon close out the Tampa Rays first? Already he's the Yankee closer? Only in baseball do you see such lofty statements.

Giants signed Cowboys defensive end Chris Canty...That will hurt Dallas next year.

Sean Avery will return to the Rangers this week. Will it help? Well, it couldn't hurt. They're fucked. The NHL trade deadline is tomorrow. Can the Rangers swing a big deal?

The Dow saw 6,999 today. What the fuck is going on?