TV

Fallon takes his throne in star-studded ‘Tonight Show’ debut

Jimmy Fallon brought “The Tonight Show” back to the Big Apple for the first time in 42 years with a Monday debut that featured a parade of A-list celebs and a rooftop performance by U2.

The host cracked up the capacity crowd with a monologue filled with jokes about the Olympics, including one about how pink eye-afflicted NBC sportscaster Bob Costas spent half an hour “interviewing a mop he thought was Shaun White.”

Fallon also claimed the Russian hockey team went “missing” after losing to the United States in overtime — calling it “a different kind of shootout.”

He said US athletes told Vladimir Putin, “You first,” when the Russian president showed up to drink wine at the US Olympic headquarters in Sochi.

In one bit, a string of celebrities came in to shower Fallon with cash after “betting” that he’d never land the hosting slot that Jay Leno held for 22 years.

Robert De Niro, Joe Namath, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Mariah Carey, Tracy Morgan, Joan Rivers, Tina Fey, Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, Mike Tyson and Lady Gaga each handed the funnyman a $100 bill to make good on their losing wagers.

Fellow TV comedian Stephen Colbert upstaged the others by dumping a bucket of change on Fallon’s desk, then posed for a selfie with him.

The audience of about 240 in Studio 6B at 30 Rockefeller Center gave Fallon a standing ovation when he came out before the taping to warm up the crowd and thank his parents, who were also there.

First guest Will Smith performed a skit with Fallon on the “evolution of hip-hop dancing” during which both wore denim overalls, colorful shirts and work boots.

Fallon also dusted off one of his old “Late Night” bits called “Superlatives.”

For this round, he flashed photos of Olympic athletes and branded each with a “most likely” label. Bearded, long-haired US snowboarder Danny Davis was deemed “most likely to turn water into weed.”

About two dozen audience members joined Fallon on the roof of 30 Rock to watch U2, who wore heavy winter coats as they performed their new single, “Invisible.”

Smith later sat down for an interview, during which joked about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, transitioning from skiing to snowboarding. It’s “not cute,” said the star, referring to her as “Shaun Black.”

U2 also sat on Fallon’s couch, with lead singer Bono reminiscing about the group’s early days.

Fallon egged on the singer/humanitarian to “give a speech” about his coffee mug because he’s so good at giving speeches for social causes.

Rock band U2 (left) with Jimmy Fallon on the first episode of “The Tonight Show.”Lloyd Bishop/NBC

The long-running “Tonight Show” was originally broadcast from New York but was relocated to Burbank, Calif., in 1972 by the legendary host Johnny Carson, who was replaced by Leno in 1994.

NBC spent about $5 million upgrading Studio 6B, which Fallon occupied while hosting “Late Night.”

Former “Saturday Night Live” star Seth Meyers replaces Fallon as host of that show next week.