The Tonight Show

He did try to sell Alpo, though.

Did he eat Alpo on the Tonight Show one time? I don't

know.

Is

And it needs to be the moist dog food.

Right out of the can, Ed.

There was a memorable blooper on The Tonight Show in 1973 when Ed would do the Alpo commercial there on the set.

1973, the guest dog suffered stage fright and refused to eat the Alpo.

We were overnighting at the Hojo's in Savannah.

watching the NBC affiliate on the Tonight Show.

I don't know, was it Abby Lane? Somebody came out and sang hard-hearted Hannah.

I said, how about we're sitting here in Savannah? But let me tell you, in all seriousness about the election, themes have emerged nationwide about prosecutors who are not prosecuting and about alleged criminals, and by the way, their crimes show up on video, who don't think they have anything to worry about.

Should we let Winston make his debut in Hamilton? Absolutely.

Why not? For a night maybe during the off-season? Next up is The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

We've got a special announcement from our neighbors across the street.

Late night fans, listen up.

If you've ever wanted to sit in Jimmy's chair, now is your time.

The Tonight Show desk is heading outside.

The pop-up experience is going to recreate his studio set, bringing it right here to Rockefeller Plaza.

And fans, if you're in the area, come down.

Yeah.

And so I remember him seeing do the do the Tonight Show.

And and I always thought he was fine.

But once we started sort of interviewing other comics, they were so prejudiced against him for being a prop comic.

but I do know that

people get accused of that.

He wasn't getting the kind of respect that I thought was due him just based on got to do The Tonight Show.

He got to do Letterman.

Yeah.

And so I remember him seeing do the do the Tonight Show.

And and I always thought he was fine.

But once we started sort of interviewing other comics, they were so prejudiced against him for being a prop comic.

but I do know that

people get accused of that.

He wasn't getting the kind of respect that I thought was due him just based on got to do The Tonight Show.

He got to do Letterman.

And while, of course, I want him to have as high of a chart position as he can have, the fact he was still in the top 10 in the U.S. speaks to a longevity and a dedicated fan base that many artists these days would love to have.

During the release week of Dinner Party, he appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where he chatted with Jimmy, played a game, and performed Taste So Good Live, And this was so exciting because notably, this was the first time that we saw that very exciting musical breakdown during Taste So Good that has become seemingly a signature of performing the song live.

Also, I really want to give credit to where credit is due because it was musically directed by his guitar player and longtime collaborator, Jake Curran.

And as we all know, Jake Curran is a musical genius because he is responsible for the amazing Small Talk to Nice to Meet You musical direction of the Royal Albert Hall show.

The person who can lean the lowest wins.

It's kind of like limbo.

Niall ended up playing this game with Jimmy Fallon when he was on The Tonight Show.

It looked so much fun and I knew what this game was because I have seen people play it on TikTok and it always looks so fun.

And millions of people are out there, you know, checking it out.

You know how many people have been discovered? When I did Erroneous Zones and took it across the country back in the 70s, the only way you could reach everybody in the country was one, go on the Tonight Show, the Today Show, the Donahue Show, the Dinah Shore Show, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas.

Or if you couldn't get on those shows, then the only other way was to go to everybody in the country, which is exactly what I did.

I just got in my car, took my books, and went to virtually every state at my own expense and just went out there doing it.

And they go, why not? And I said, because if I asked a 70-year-old musician for advice when I was 20, Think about this.

And in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, there was many 70-year-old professional musicians who I knew played on The Tonight Show or played on recording sessions or bands or Carnegie Hall.

I knew them in the neighborhood.

Never asked them why.