Jimmy Fallon Takes "Late Night" on Test Run

AP

NBC’s Lorne Michaels, executive producer of Late Night and the man behind Saturday Night Live, has decided to let Fallon stretch his legs online before he officially steps in as the new talk show host.

Michaels said, “Conan needed time to find his show. I think this will help Jimmy to do that.”

Fallon, who has been named as Conan O’Brien’s replacement when the latter takes over Jay Leno on the Tonight Show in 2009, is scheduled to start work on the televised version next year.

Late Night episodes, expected to run from 5 to 10 minutes, will be released on a nightly basis with the objective of imitating the show’s rhythm.

Michaels said that although the Internet version will allow Fallon’s Late Night to be more audacious content-wise, the new host will still need to conform to the show’s structure.

According to the Times, Michaels will post the episodes at 12:30 every night so that “people will begin to look for Jimmy at that time." He didn’t specify what site the episodes will be posted on.

This is the first time that the web will be used as a vehicle for transition to the big time.

NBC’s virtual testing room could be a practical way to obtain instant feedback and lure new viewers as well as allow Fallon followers a load of miniature chuckles on demand.