Jimmy Fallon took the stage at the 2014 Television Critics Association winter press tour on Sunday to talk about his transition from Late Night to The Tonight Show and revealed who will help him say hello to a new chapter in his hosting career.
Will Smith and U2 will be Fallon's first Tonight Show guests when he takes over for Jay Leno on Monday, Feb. 17. Fallon also noted another important person who will be at his first Tonight Show taping: his nearly 6-month-old daughter Winnie. "She'll be wearing soundproof headphones," Fallon assured the critics and reporters in the crowd.
The late-night host added that all of his guests for the first three weeks of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon are already booked, and he also revealed that he'll bring The Tonight Show to Los Angeles a few weeks out of the year, noting it was initially tough to convince NBC to let him stay in New York, where the comedian was born and raised.
Fallon told the press he's been getting advice from Leno along the way, which included the tip to make his monologues longer. "If people miss news, they go to late night for it," Leno told his successor.
When asked how it feels to follow in the footsteps of Leno, Johnny Carson, and Steve Allen, Fallon said, "It means a lot to me. It's surreal and it's an honor. I don't want to let anyone down. I want them to know I'm going to work as hard as I can. I know how much the show means. This is an important job and I'm so looking forward to it. I just want to make everyone laugh."
Later in the day at the TCA winter press tour, Seth Meyers announced that fellow Saturday Night Live alumna Amy Poehler will be his first guest when Late Night with Seth Meyers debuts on Monday, Feb 24. "She's basically Bono's common-law wife now," Meyers joked, referring to Poehler and the U2 frontman's Golden Globes kiss.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon premieres on Monday, Feb. 17, and Late Night with Seth Meyers premieres the following week on Monday, Feb. 24.
Correction: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that Amy Poehler will be the final "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" guest. Wishful thinking!