By NICOLE PIERI
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

(Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia)

On Wednesday Feb. 5, I was lucky enough to attend the very first test show of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” My expectations were high, but Jimmy Fallon and his usual charm, creativity and comedy exceeded them.

The legendary 60-year-old late night talk show left its New York City home at Studio 6B in 30 Rockefeller Plaza in 1972, when iconic host Johnny Carson moved the show to Burbank 10 years into his tenure. Now, the show is back in 6B with native New Yorker Fallon as host and a newly improved studio to boot. Having gone to a fair share of “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” tapings (which also took place in Studio 6B), I was a bit shocked at just how different the studio looks. It feels much more open than it previously did, with additional seats on the actual stage to accommodate a bigger audience and create more opportunities for Fallon to interact with his fans.

Though I do not want to spoil the details of the new set, I will say that it looks gorgeous and is the perfect fit for “The Tonight Show,” New York City and Fallon.

Besides the revamped studio and added seats, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” is not unlike “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” The Roots have fortunately returned as Fallon’s fantastic house band, and they do more than simply play music during commercial breaks. Announcer Steve Higgins has also returned as Fallon’s witty and hilarious foil. The favorite “Late Night” segments “Do Not Read List” and “Freestylin’ with The Roots” were featured during the taping, and guest Nat Wolff joined Fallon and two audience members in a game of Catchphrase, another popular “Late Night” segment.

Although it was only a test show and was not aired on television, the energy in the studio was electric,  largely because we were the first audience to see the studio and the brand new show. Fallon ran onstage to a standing ovation and got a little emotional as he welcomed the audience. He and Higgins riffed on their own inside jokes throughout the monologue, and even The Roots joined in on the fun. Based on the amount of interaction and conversation he had with the studio audience, it is clear that Fallon’s strength lies in connecting with others in ways other late night hosts have not. The joyful and enthusiastic host will bring a much-needed youthful energy to the graying “Tonight Show.”

Watch “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” starting on Monday, Feb. 17 at 11:30 p.m. on NBC.

Categories: Culture

Tags: Culture, NICOLE PIERI, The Tonight Show