Add Brian Williams to the List

There are a few people who, when they appear on any of the late night talk shows, are must see. When I find out they are to be on Dave or Fallon if I am not able to be up I make sure to set up a Tivo recording.

On that list for me are Bill Murray, Bill Cosby, Micheal J Fox, Regis Philbin and Jungle Jack Hanna. There are others who from time to time become something you must see, these folks are people that no matter what they are promoting, or even not promoting, you must see the show.

Brian Williams now must be added the list. He is intelligent on any subject and is remarkably funny. On tonight's David Letterman show Williams did his Regis impression and it, incredibly, it is dead on. As Dave and he talked about the unfortunate incident that Al Roker has been all over the news discussing recently he made this quip " That hasn't happened in the West Wing since Nixon found out he had to release the tapes." Pretty clever stuff.

One of my favorite people: Brian Williams

Tom Hanks on Jimmy Fallon Last Night

Some people are funny no matter what they do. Tom Hanks appeared on Jimmy Fallon last night. Hanks has been everywhere lately. Making a surprise appearance on Saturday Night Live, working the phones on Jon Stewart's autism benefit, and then last night appeared on Fallon last night.

There might not be two more likable people in entertainment than Jimmy Fallon and Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks, now Hollywood Royalty, never seems to forget that he is the same person that we first saw on Bosom Buddies, or if you dig deep as the alcoholic uncle of Alex P Keaton on Family Ties.

Last night Hanks did a slam poem about the nineties sitcom Full House and as funny as that was the real highlight was just the stories he told while visiting with Jimmy. Telling the story of Jimmy's desire to appear on the Hanks HBO Miniseries Band of Brothers, and another story of Hanks almost playing guitar for Bruce Springsteen Hanks is just naturally funny. His ability to laugh at himself, combined with Fallon's constant joy in whatever he is doing made this fantastic television.

I watch a good deal of late night television. Only a few people are must see, Tom Hanks and Bill Murray are two of them. Hanks showed us why last night.

Barack Obama on Jimmy Fallon

Barack Obama appeared on Jimmy Fallon the other night at a special show broadcast from the University of North Carolina. From an entertainment point of view the show was a huge success. Fallon at his best, played a solid monologue, then did one of his songs he is known for, one of his creation called Walk of Shame, a song well placed at a college campus.

Dave Matthews joined in and then of course played later in the show. The heart of the show however was the appearance of The President. Fallon in his normal role of cheerleader was visibly excited. Obama took part in the regular feature " Slow Jamming the News." It was funny and The President used the opportunity to skewer Republicans over their stance on his student loan bill.

Playing to the choir at a college campus Obama was clearly trying to raise interest and excitement in the youth vote. It works. Still some would wonder, myself included, if it is correct for a President to appear in a comedy skit so irrelevant and then to use it for political purposes. This was a far cry from Richard Nixon saying " Sock it to Me" and Bill Clinton was not The President when he appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show.

Funny Yes. Worth Watching Yes. Questionable as to if this is something a sitting President should be doing? Yes.

Bruce Springsteen on Jimmy Fallon

Last Friday night Jimmy Fallon finished Bruce Springsteen week with a bang with Springsteen as his only guest. It was a very entertaining show. Fallon, perhaps better than anyone else, has the ability to " be us " in the interview, sometimes showing excitement that seems a bit unprofessional. For him though it works, we appreciate his excitement.

Springsteen sat for an interview and was very personable. Telling a very funny story about a visit, or attempted visit to Disneyland in 1982 with Steven Van Zandt that did not work out as planned but was very funny now, thirty years later.

On the cold open Springsteen and Fallon did one of his famous singing skits with Springsteen as himself circa early eighties and Fallon as, of course, Neil Young. Playing an extremely slowed down version of LMFAO's Sexy and I Know It. One has to be pretty comfortable to poke fun at oneself so easily.

Later in the show it was music time. With Tom Morello on guitar, Tom seems to be an unofficial member of the band these days, Bruce played Death to My Hometown and Jack of All Trades from the new album and ended the show with a version of The E Street Shuffle that included The Roots and even Jimmy playing in the band. The show ended with the audience on stage while a seemingly impossible number of people, Springsteen's band and ensemble as well as The Roots gathered on the band stage.

In today's late night environment only Jimmy Fallon could pull this off. He brings a level of excitement and enthusiasm that allows for the spontaneity that you cannot find on other shows.

An example of how good late night television can be.

Bill Cosby on Jimmy Fallon

Last night I was reading late in the living room. My son joined me about 12:30 as he had been preparing for finals. As per normal when David Letterman was over I switched over to NBC and Jimmy Fallon.

A great night to see the show as Bill Cosby was the guest. Cosby must be at least 75 now and he looks like one of those men whose features have never stopped growing. Cosby is a large man. He has big hands, a big head, big ears and an enormous nose. And he still may be the funniest man on the planet.

Cosby features are stretchable like the jello he used to do advertisements for. Last night Cosby told a routine about joining the army, and the horrors of basic training and how they fueled his desire for education. Having not been a good student as he passed through high school this was a challenge for him.

The fact is that Cosby can talk about anything and be funny. Fallon in his role as Superfan which comes so naturally to him appeared as excited, perhaps more so, than you or I would be.

Perhaps the best part of the performance was that my son watched it with me. Cosby, who works clean, made my son laugh. His exposure to Cosby is mostly in passing and of the famous Bill Cosby. Last night my son learned how funny a person could be just being funny. No profanity, no insulting, just simple stories told in a way that made them fall down funny.

Cosby is a legend for all the right reasons. Anytime he is scheduled to be on television we would all be wise to watch.

Brian Williams on David Letterman

I write about my man crush on Brian Williams everytime he makes an appearnace on Fallon or Letterman but I am going to do it again tonight. Appearing as the only guest on Dave tonight Williams was on his game. Simply put this man is funny, not just funny but with a sense of wry humor that never fails to make me laugh.

Tonight Dave made him do his Regis Philbin impression. Perhaps he is so funny because of the contrast between serious newsman and what he does with Dave. That said he is a smart and funny man. For me his appearnces on Dave or Fallon are Must See TV

Jimmy Fallon As Jim Morrison

Adding to his canon of amazing impressions last Friday night Jimmy Fallon sang The Reading Rainbow song as Jim Morrison. Costumes, the video, and the Morrison theatrics were spot on.

Fallon can play anybody. We have seen him do Neil Young many times, recently we saw him do Bob Dylan singing the Charles in Charge theme song. Quite a few people do impressions, what Fallon does is even more special as he picks songs which were never done. Singing theme songs as famous figures does not seem to be something I have seen anyone do.

Each time Fallon does this it becomes viral. He is incredibly talented. All of these are immedieatly must see television.

Brian Williams on Jmmy Fallon

So a couple days after I commented on Brian Williams on Dave he appears on Jimmy Fallon doing his regular feature " Slow Jamming the news." This is the sort of thing that Fallon excels at ..the bits and routines. I think he and Kimmel are far and above the best among the late night group at this. I love Dave but that is not his specialty anymore as these fellows have surpassed him.

Is it not interesting that in all the talk of late night and it is crowded and talented with Conan, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel and even the sometimes very funny Craig Ferguson all looking up to Dave that nobody, or at least nobody in my universe or in these hosts apparent universe has anything good to say about Jay.

However, back to slow jamming the news. It is a silly little idea but it plays because Fallon is funny and Williams plays it straight.

It looks like something Steve Allen would do were he still doing late night.

Nobody will ever touch Johnny Carson, but we are a niche audience now. The reason Jay is winning the ratings is only he does what he does. All of these others do what they all do in a sense. We are not in the same world with three networks. Were we however we would not have all these excellent, insomniac, late night choices.

Brian Williams on David Letterman

It is hard to imagine Walter Cronkite making the rounds of late night talk shows. I do not know if he ever appeared on The Johnny Carson show. In today's world however anchors are different.

I have seen Brian Williams on Jimmy Fallon and thought he was very funny their, doing a news reading skit.

On his last two appearances on Dave however I have gained that he has a great sense of humor and loves the interplay between himself and Dave.

Being a newsperson Dave of course asks Brian for his input on issues that are happening in the world. This week for example he talked about Wisconsin. Williams feigns discomfort and does not answer and offer opinions. In fact this week Williams said that his appearances often appear like hostage tapes as Dave hold him hostage by asking him questions he cannot answer.

It is an odd pairing and perhaps not all would find it enjoyable but I find it very interesting. Williams is bright, intellectual and funny. As Letterman peppers him with question after question about politics and he wryly asks Dave what he thought of the Oscars I find this funny.

I liked Tom Brokaw and regretted his retirement and now find that Brian Williams is my favorite network anchor both on the nightly news and on Letterman and other formats.