The truest test of an actor's skill is not in resume or repertoire.
It is whether or not he/she can make me laugh so hard that I snort while improvising an impromptu monologue on a late-night television talk show.
Conan's done it to his guests, as has Craig Kilborn, and more notably, it is the only thing that is keeping Jimmy Fallon's show from going under.
Michael Emerson's rendition of Little Boy Blue ("he needed the money, oh!") on Jimmy Fallon's show comes to mind, as does Sir Ian McKellen's Shakespearean lesson on how to change a tire on the Late Late Show. And Will Arnett reading from Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret gave me a chuckle—nay a full-fledged guffaw— today at work.
You want to be an actor? Start boning up on your monologue from Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
2 comments:
I love how so many people are hating on Jimmy Fallon's show and most of them only watched part of an episode his first week.
I've seen virtually every episode of him and Conan since they both started their new gigs and I can tell you that Fallon's show makes me laugh far more than Conan's. His interviewing and monologue need to improve (which they will) but his shows adventurous interaction with audience and celebs, inspired, quirky taped skits, and The Roots pairing with various artists set it apart from others.
Conan on the other hand, whom I've been a fan for years, feels uncomfortable in LA and the show's comedy is often stale or timid. Of course, he still is naturally funny and it has its moments, but he needs to inject some new energy into it, especially once Leno gets back on air. His ratings have been the lowest of the Tonight Show in nearly over 15 years.
That's my two cents!
I gotta say, I haven't watched much late-night TV lately...I always get my dose of the funnier clips surfing my RSS feeds the next morning. Oh the joys of working in the real world...
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