Meyers & Fallon Plan To Put A Smile On Your Face

The Television Critics Association's (TCA) winter spree of press conferences is paying off in more ways than revealing reporters who think it's acceptable to be straight-up misogynistic to Lena Dunham. We're also getting a peek at what's to come for two new shows with two familiar faces: Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon's first guests and other plans for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers were announced.

Fallon will officially take to the studio as the host of The Tonight Show on Monday, Feb.17, at which point Will Smith and U2 will be the honored first guests of Fallon's reign. He will also, of course, be taking The Roots along with him, because Ohana means family and family sticks together.

For Meyers, who's long hosted Weekend Update on SNL, this will be his first foray into the late night world, and he'll make his debut Feb. 24, He'll be leaving Weekend Update on Feb. 1, and his first guest will be fellow SNL alum and queen of the universe Amy Poehler, so you can expect raucous cackles and sunshine radiating from that part of the TV come that day.

As for what's changing in each show, for Meyers there'll be more acts of comedy before they bring out the guests on his Late Night, and Fallon's taking advice Jay Leno gave him to lengthen his monologue — he currently does about four minutes, which will go up to 10 on Tonight — because Leno said the audience depends on it for "a complete view of the news." From Fallon:

I wish that Steve Allen and Johnny Carson were still around just to see what we’re going to do with the show because I think, when they invented this show, it was all about being fun and silly and goofy.Everyone works too hard, and we’re the first thing after your local news. You watch us, and you get a good laugh, and you go to bed with a smile on your face. And that’s our job.

According to their TCA presentation, Meyers and Fallon share a goal: They hope to put you to bed "with a smile on your face." That has connotations both adorable and naughty, so we'll take it.