Warning! This may seem a bit familiar. The Peacock Network, in an attempt to substitute a lost high-profile television program host, selects a gawky greenhorn to host one of its best known late-night talk shows. Thus, the critics tumble down and explain that the tenderfoot is good for nothing, predicting at the same time his impending downfall. Nevertheless, the new guy proves to be really good and eventually draws success on his side, becoming the icon of the signature program.

 

This little imagination exercise might as well portray Conan O’Brien back in 1993, when the then-anonymous comedy writer replaced David Letterman as the “Late Night” host and stirred paroxysmal response. Conan O’Brien nonetheless made it and ultimately flourished.

 

Therefore, the depiction could also describe Jimmy Fallon nowadays, although the happy ending is not guaranteed. The ex “Saturday Night Live” member is scheduled to take over “Late Night” from its former host Conan O’Brien at 12:35 a.m. tonight in the initial stage of NBC’s chancy late-night rearrangement. Will he be able to hang on and succeed?

 

The 34-year-old almost actor has knowledge of the early buzz he has generated, but fails to feel menaced or nervous. His plan is to not let critics get to him and show everybody what he’s capable of. “I think everyone expects to get hit, sure,” he told the Washington Post just a few days before his debut.

“Which is fine. You gotta do what you gotta do. The question is, can you hang in there and not lose confidence in your humor? That’s the key. If everyone’s saying, ‘You’re not funny, you’re not funny, you’re not funny, you’re not funny,’ and you lose confidence, eventually you become not funny.”

With such an attitude, Jimmy Fallon could actually become the next O’Brien. Which leaves us longing for tonight’s “Late Night” show.