On paper, Jimmy Fallon was a great choice to succeed Conan O'Brien on NBC's "Late Nite." He is, after all, ostensibly popular with the same young, male demographic O'Brien initially courted. But the paper approval ratings don't account for Fallon's horrible reputation among comedy buffs. He giggled and demured his way through six forgettable years on "Saturday Night Live," attracting the ire of longtime fans who couldn't stand his one-note persona and inability to stay in character. Films like Fever Pitch and Taxi didn't exactly attest to his dynamic range, either.
By the very, very low standards he set, though, his first few weeks on Late Nite have been something of a success. The unflappable nebbish streak that made him an insufferable "SNL" performer is much more charming when he's working with less scripted material. Now Fallon is trying to cement his bona fides as a real comedian with a cred-building stand-up tour, which will stop at the Pabst Theater on June 27.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 13 at noon.
UPDATE: The venue has changed the date of the show to May 16.
