NBC is going to the “Saturday Night Live” well once again — tapping the show’s head writer and “Weekend Update” anchor, Seth Meyers, to take over Jimmy Fallon’s late-night talk show.
After a dozen years on SNL, Meyers will take over the 12:30 “Late Night” time slot from Fallon, who is taking Jay Leno’s seat on “The Tonight Show” in a bid to appeal to younger viewers.
“We think Seth is one of the brightest, most insightful comedy writers and performers of his generation,” NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt said, adding that 39-year-old Meyser’s topical comedy is “perfect for the ‘Late Night’ franchise.”
Before Fallon started hosting “Late Night” in 2009, the time slot had been held for 16 years by Conan O’Brien, who moved on to “The Tonight Show” in June of 2009.
O’Brien was soon ousted after a public dispute with the network, giving way to Jay Leno, whom O’Brien had replaced. O’Brien now has a show on cable network TBS.
Meyers, a Northwestern University graduate, began his comedy career in Chicago. His competition will be Craig Ferguson on CBS’s”The Late Late Show” and ABC’s “Nightline.”
Like Meyers, Fallon once manned the desk at SNL’s news-parody feature, “Weekend Update.”
In his seventh year as “Weekend Update” host, Meyers devotes all of his on-air time to the skit. He’s also been the head writer for the show for the past eight seasons — and plans to stay on “Saturday Night Live” through its fall season, which ends next December.
Late-night comedy is one of NBC’s few strong suits, with “Saturday Night Live” often drawing a bigger audience than most of what the network airs in prime time.
The network recently canceled “Rock Center,” a prime-time news-magazine show hosted by Brian Williams, but held on to the popular comedy “Parks and Recreation,” with SNL alum Amy Poehler.
With Meyers’ appointment, NBC is hoping for a smooth transition to a younger generation.
Both he and Fallown will still answer to SNL honcho Lorne Michaels, who will continue as executive producer of “Late Night” and also take on “The Tonight Show” when it moves to New York City from Burbank, Calif., for Fallon’s run.
“I only have to work for Lorne for five more years before I pay him back for the time I totaled his car,” Meyers quipped in yesterday’s press release.
Behind the scenes, Michael Shoemaker will remain with “Late Night” as producer, NBC said.