Tonight, at 11:35 p.m., Mr. Jimmy Fallon will emerge from the royal blue curtains in 30 Rock's Studio 6-B to kick off week no. 2 of his tenure at the helm of The Tonight Show.
An hour later (and two stories above, in Studio 8-G) Mr. Seth Meyers will extend warm welcomes to Ms. Amy Poehler and Vice President Joe Biden for his debut as the new host of Late Night.
And thus... a New Era in American broadcast television will begin.
In commemoration of this historic moment at NBC, MercerJersey.com takes a fresh look at the club of eight (exclusively and perhaps regrettably) men who have been given the reigns to the Peacock's prized pair of late night franchises – through the ever-valuable lens (of course) of Boston Celtics basketball.
The Basics
Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen: Tonight host no. 1 (1954-'57)
Robert Joseph Cousy: Hall of Fame Celtics point guard (1950-'63)
The Breakdown
Like Cousy, Steve Allen was a true innovator in his field. The Tonight Show was, in fact, born when NBC decided to take a quirky local program in New York called The Steve Allen Show to a national audience. From behind-the-back passes to man-on-the-street bits, this pair blazed trails that many would follow. And, in "Cooz" and "Steverino," both possessed nicknames of undeniable, vintage-50s cool.
The Tale of the Tape
The Houdini of the Hardwood, earning his title and setting the stage for ensuing decades of NBA showmanship:
Allen introducing The Tonight Show at the top of episode no. 1, describing it as "a mild little show" and setting an intimate, casual tone:
The Basics
Jack Harold Paar: Tonight host no. 2 (1957-'62)
David William Cowens: Hall of Fame Celtics center (1970-'80)
The Breakdown
Both Cowens and Paar were the central figures in the Second Era of their franchises' success (Cowens taking on the legacy of Bill Russell to lead Boston to two titles in the '70s and Paar taking over Tonight after Allen left to focus on his Sunday night variety show). Intensely passionate dispositions also famously led both to brief absences on the job: Cowens took 65 days of unpaid leave in '76-'77 due to a waning enthusiasm for the game that he deemed unacceptable, and Paar walked off the Tonight set mid-show in 1960 after NBC censors cut a joke from the previous night's tape, saying that "There must be a better way of making a living than this." (Upon his return less than one month later, he quipped, "I have looked – and there isn't.")
The Tale of the Tape
"Big Red" in action (inexplicably set to the sweet sounds of Alicia Keys):
Paar interviewing a fellow Jack – then-Senator and presidential hopeful Kennedy – in 1960, demonstrating Tonight's expanding cultural relevance:
The Basics
John William Carson: Tonight host no. 3 (1962-'92)
William Felton Russell: Hall of Fame Celtics center (1956-'69)
The Breakdown
In a word, these men were dominant. Winning 11 championships in 13 years and serving as America's undisputed "King of Late Night" for three decades, both Bill and Johnny dominated their games in their eras in ways that (due in no small part to the vastly expanded landscape of both sports and popular entertainment) will never be matched.
The Tale of the Tape
NBA Entertainment takes a crack at the tall task of capturing Russell's greatness:
PBS attempts the same feat regarding Johnny:
David Michael Letterman: Late Night host no. 1 (1982-'93)
Larry Joe Bird: Hall of Fame Celtics forward (1979-'92)
The Breakdown
Hailing from French Lick and Indianapolis, Indiana, respectively, Larry Bird and David Letterman made the Hoosier State proud in the 1980s as the New Masters of their crafts. While Bird dazzled hoops fans with dead-eye shooting, superhuman court vision and an endless supply of crunch-time heroics en route to three MVP awards, Dave set the comedy world ablaze with a new 12:30 post-Tonight show defined by his sardonic wit and an oft-cited "deconstruction" of the late night format (e.g., ironic recurring bits like "Stupid Pet Tricks").
The Tale of the Tape
Highlights from Bird at his apex, dropping 60 on the Hawks in '85:
The opening segment of episode no. 1 of Late Night, kicking off with an oddball homage to Frankenstein and concluding with an absurdist twist on the man-on-the-street convention pioneered by Tonight:
The Basics
James Douglas Muir Leno: Tonight host nos. 4 and 6 (1992-2009, 2010-'14)
John J. Havlicek: Hall of Fame Celtics guard-forward (1962-'78)
The Breakdown
Endurance. Relentlessness. Tenacity. Hondo and Leno each had enough to spare, John becoming the Celts' all-time leading scorer over 16 seasons (an astonishing run in the '60s-'70s) and Jay fighting and clawing his way through a grueling touring schedule of comedy clubs and frequent appearances on Letterman's Late Night to secure a gig as regular substitute host on Tonight, then as Carson's successor in '92. While Hondo may be overlooked historically for playing through two eras defined by Russell and Cowens, Leno is often cut down for getting the Tonight throne over the more critically-lauded Letterman, then taking it back from Conan O'Brien in 2010.
The Tale of the Tape
Hondo's highlight reel, spanning the days of black & white to color:
Early glimpses at Leno's signature topical monologues:
The Basics
Conan Christopher O'Brien: Late Night host no. 2 (1993-2009), Tonight host no. 5 (2009-'10)
Paul Anthony Pierce: All-Star/Future Hall of Fame Celtics guard-forward (1998-2013)
The Breakdown
To fans of a certain age (mine), Paul Pierce and Conan O'Brien will always be held in a special place of esteem. For Millennials weaned on the Truth's endless array of pump fakes and step-back jumpers and Coco's slap-happy blend of self-deprecation and unabashed silliness, this pair defined 16+ formative years of Celtics basketball and NBC late night. Each reached the "mountain top" only briefly (Paul securing his lone ring in '08 and Conan heading Tonight for a mere seven months), however, before being shipped to Brooklyn and basic cable, respectively, outraging their loyal supporters.
The Tale of the Tape
Paul's peers marveling at his deep "bag of tricks":
Conan at his over-the-top best opposite Rebecca Romijn-Stamos:
The Basics
James Thomas Fallon, Jr.: Late Night host no. 3 (2009-'14), Tonight host no. 7 (2014-present)
Leonard Kevin Bias: Celtics draft pick, second overall (1986)
The Breakdown
Like Lenny Bias, Jimmy Fallon has it all: likability, charm, comedic timing – and musical chops not seen on Tonight since the piano-playing Steverino. Brash and young, both hit the big-time with plenty of hype and high expectations. Unlike the tragic Bias, however, there is no reason to believe that we won't get the privilege of seeing Fallon flourish for years to come.
The Tale of the Tape
In one short, breath-taking sequence, Len Bias showing the tantalizing potential that would never be fulfilled:
Jimmy capping his first week on Tonight with the viral-ready fifth edition of his "History of Rap," alongside Justin Timberlake:
The Basics
Seth Adam Meyers: Late Night host no. 4 (2014-present)
Jeffrey Lynn Green: Celtics forward (2011-present)
The Breakdown
Seth Meyers and Jeff Green are both unquestioned talents, Meyers as a productive comedy writer and longtime affable host of Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" and Jeff as a super-athletic, two-way swingman. Neither, however, have yet proved themselves to be capable of "running the show" on their own. Here's hoping that Seth's inaugural season on Late Night goes more smoothly than Jeff's first post-Paul-and-KG season this year.
The Tale of the Tape
Jeff torching the Heat for 43 points last season, teasing C's fans with his raw abilities:
Seth proving adept at the art of anecdotes on the couch of a Late Night predecessor:
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