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Like the miniature microbes that populate our world, comedian Jimmy Fallon is everywhere. The comedian turned actor turned talk show host has taken a turn at nearly every manifestations of popular media.
On Saturday April 18 at 8p.m., the viral comic comes to the
Fallon grew up in
In past interviews, Fallon has said of his upbringing that, “Sometimes I wish I had a terrible childhood, so that at least I’d have an excuse,”
From an early age, Fallon loved to make people laugh. At the age of two, he had already developed a repertoire of celebrity impersonations.
He began pursuing serious comedic aspirations at the age of 17, winning an open mic competition at his high school.
Despite his success, Fallon opted to attend college before pursuing stardom any further. He initially attended
Some of Fallon’s first attempts at comedy were at The Improv Theater. After performing there for a mere $7.50 a set, he again decided to raise his aim. In 1998, he auditioned for SNL.
In order to impress the show’s producers, Fallon unleashed impressions of everyone from Jerry Seinfeld to Counting Crow’s lead singer Adam Duritz. Thoroughly impressed by his raw talent, producers hired Fallon and he made his debut as a regular on Saturday Night Live during the 1998-1999 season.
On SNL, Fallon became well known for many of his recurring spots, not the least of which was the pseudo-informative “Weekend Update,” which he wrote and starred in with Tina Fey.
He remained with SNL until 2005. Having found success in the television industry, the comedian tried his luck on a slightly larger scale.
In one of his more notable roles, Fallon starred beside Drew Barrymore for the 2005 production “Fever Pitch.” The romantic comedy about Red Sox fanaticism, adapted from the Nick Hornby book of the same name, helped jumpstart his career as a big screen star.
Showing off his more serious side, Fallon also played a role in the Emmy-winning miniseries, “Band of Brothers.”
Today, Fallen continues to keep himself busy in the film industry, starring beside Barrymore for a second time in the comedy “Whip It.” Due out later this year, the movie also features Ellen Page of “Juno” fame.
Fallon’s standup skills and imitations earned him hosting duties on MTV’s Video Music Awards in 2002. During the program he managed to create a satirical medley of popular celebrities in which he seamlessly transitioned from the likes of Avril Lavigne to Enrique Iglesias.
Acting in major motion pictures and hosting award shows are simply not enough for the young comedian, however. In 2003, Fallon collaborated with his sister Gloria to pen the book, “I Hate This Place: The Pessimist’s Guide to Life.”
The publication serves essentially as an anti-self-help book, touting wisdom like, “Knock, and the door shall be slammed in your face.”
Fallon’s latest effort is no small production, either. The SNL alum has recently taken over Conan O’Brien’s role as host of the NBC production “Late Night.”
“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” premiered earlier this year to the delight of SNL enthusiasts everywhere.
The show has gone through some serious changes since Conan O’Brien’s days. The new house band, for example, is none other than eclectic hip-hop stars The Roots. Diehard “Late Night” fans will be relieved to know that the show still features the usual format of interviews, musical guests and standup segments.
Fallon’s standup routines, both on “Late Night” and otherwise, generally consist of equal parts impersonations and audience interactions, with a dose of music thrown in for good measure. The multitalented funnyman even released an album on DreamWorks Records in 2002 entitled “The Bathroom Walls.”
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Though standup is no longer his primary form of comedic output, Fallon performs regularly at the Comedy Club in New York. He is currently performing at venues around the nation during his downtime from “Late Night.”
His impersonations, musical or otherwise, are amusing in their ability to make even the parodied person laugh. It is clear he puts his all into every performance, committing to the role to the point of exhaustion. It is his standup that keeps the humorist grounded in his passion for comedy.
In short, after conquering television, cinema, literature, music and standup, Fallon has proved himself to be one of the most diversified men in show business.
Jimmy Fallon will be performing at the Calvin Theater on Sat., April 18 at 8.pm. Tickets are $ 32.50.
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