The NYT has a massive feature on Conan O’Brien taking over the reins of The Tonight Show. We haven’t had a chance to check it out just yet, but it includes the first look above at the set that will appear on millions of TVs (and broken grads’ monitors) for years to come. Conan makes his debut in the NBC slot on June 1st with guest Will Ferrell and musical act Pearl Jam.
First impression: it isn’t straying too far from the iconic, classic days of Johnny Carson or the lesser ones of Leno. Here’s a funny quote from Conan from the feature per the design: “I said, I don’t want a desk made of onyx and baboon skulls.” Let us know what you think below. In addition, am I the only one who thinks it would be a sly move on David Letterman’s part to hire Norm MacDonald as a wing-man to create extra fireworks against Big Red? Norm’s recent guest spot on The Late Show was nearly as badass as his uncensored stint on Howard Stern. Time will tell.
Last Saturday Night—as countless unseen choppers flew overhead—a pair of maracas suddenly appeared in the capable hands of host Will Ferrell. Like magic. They gathered: Tom Hanks (on sax!), Paul Rudd, Anne Hathaway, Peggy and fellow SNL vets like Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Norm MacDonald (!), and Artie Lange (in jeans. Wait, wth?). Not to mention, a band best known for “Longview.”
Ferrell, knee-deep in a yuppie’s faux-VietNam flashback, lead one and all in a touching rendition of Billy Joel’s wartime classic “Goodnight Saigon.” The meaning behind the lyrics, “Yes, we would all go down together,” in terms of the show’s legacy, its cast future and past, and our shaky times is subjective. But most everyone will agree that the sketch ended the 34th season on a categorically awesome note. Ferrell was in the zone. At this point, he probably bathes there.
One request from /Film for the 35th season: Hire more guys who have to shave. At least once a week. Enough with the good private school genes already. Also, a poll pitting Ferrell’s “Goodnight Saigon” against 3o Rock’s lame shark-ramp “Kidney, Now!”? Boo.
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It’s beginning to look like Judd Apatow is trying to fill his new Adam Sandler dramedy Funny People with an all-star list of stand-up comedian cameos playing themselves. Dave Attell appeared on the Howard Stern Show today, and revealed that he filmed a scene for Funny People with Sarah Silverman and Norm MacDonald. Andy Dick has also filmed a cameo as himself
He said that the scene was filmed pretty quickly and was highly improvised, which makes me believe that its one of the scenes where dying comedy legend George Simmons (Adam Sandler) and his assistant and budding young comedian Ira (Seth Rogen) are hanging out with some of Simmon’s “friends” (more of acquaintances, as Simmons doesn’t really have any friends).
You can read more about the plot of the film in our previous script review. What other comedians make appearances in Funny People?
