"Tonight Show" reportedly moving to New York with Jimmy Fallon as host

Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon pose backstage at the 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Jan. 13, 2013. / Jordan Strauss/AP

As Jay Leno makes jokes about ratings-challenged NBC in his "Tonight" monologues, speculation is swirling the network is taking steps to replace the host with Jimmy Fallon next year and move the talk show from California to New York. "The Tonight Show" was born in New York in 1954, with host Steve Allen.

NBC confirmed Wednesday it's creating a new studio for Fallon in New York, where he hosts "Late Night." But the network did not comment on a report that the studio may become home to a transplanted, Fallon-hosted "Tonight."

The New York Times reported the plan Wednesday, citing unidentified network executives. The Hollywood Reporter had a March 1 report about a Fallon-Leno switch, which the network denied.

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Jimmy Fallon

Looming over NBC is its messy, failed effort to replace Leno with Conan O'Brien, which ended in 2010 with Leno regaining "Tonight" and NBC losing O'Brien -- who got a $45 million exit deal -- to TBS.

Leno's current "Tonight" contract expires in September of 2014.

That occurred under a different regime, before NBCUniversal was taken over by Comcast Corp., which has a reputation for discipline. While NBC dithered and backtracked on its "Tonight" succession plan involving O'Brien, Comcast is likely to be more decisive.

The 38-year-old Fallon contacted Leno in an effort to help smooth the potential switch, according to a Hollywood Reporter story Wednesday.

The 62-year-old Leno, who took over "Tonight" from Johnny Carson in 1992, did not respond Wednesday to a request for comment. But he might be taking advantage of other ways to communicate -- the "Tonight" stage and its audience of millions.

Although late-night hosts are known for making fun of their network bosses on-air, the timing of Leno's latest jabs at NBC seemed to make the network particularly uncomfortable. They reportedly asked him to stop; he hasn't.

"You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right? St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland -- and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives," Leno joked on Monday's show.

In the April issue of GQ magazine, "Late Night" producer Lorne Michaels ("Saturday Night Live") said a transition to Fallon had "an inevitability to it," adding that he was the closest to Carson that I've seen of this generation."

Tell us: Would you like to see Fallon as host of "The Tonight Show"?

[w_roos]

I hope Jimmy Fallon has a thick skin and a good lawyer.

[tsigili]

NBC has truly lost its mind.

They are sacrificing the most popular late night show to hand off to another fool, just as they did with O'Brian, which was a dismal failure.......and this will be, also.

[cheapster512]

about time for change Leno can still do Vegas
Kimmel vs Fallon good call
time for Letterman Leno exit
Tina Fey for the "Tonight Show" would be excellent call
time for a woman host

[cheapster512]

about time for change Leno can still do Vegas
Kimmel vs Fallon good call
time for Letterman Leno exit

[cheapster512]

about time for change Leno can still do Vegas

[idunnogal]

I enjoy Leno, and find Jimmy Fallon completely enjoyable. He's quick-witted, genuinely kind, and just fun to watch.

[castlewood2]

Don't care, I don't watch either Leno or Fallon or the bigger idiot of the group Dave Letterman.

[bobnjersey]

["You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right? St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland -- and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives," Leno joked on Monday's show.]
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he's quite the snake himself.

to have conan o'brien on as a guest and shake his hand while wishing him well in taking over the tonight show ... and then later come back to take over the show ... is as low as it gets.

i haven't watched a minute of the tonight show since ... and won't ever as long as this dishonorable dolt is hosting the show.

[tommyboy0124]

I agree BOBNJERSEY. Fallon better watch his back. If Leno flops in Vegas, Fallon may find himself out of work.

[yarnplay]

I like Leno and think he's doing a good job of recovering the time slot from the attempt of NBC to make everyone happy and keep O'brien, who has alway been a niche player and an acquired taste. Having said this Fallon has the advantage of having worked with many of his guests while on SNL and he's gentle with those that can't take it and eggs on those that can. He's also a risk taker and his characters and the bits (Playing games or writing thank you notes), are not locked into one generation. He also seems to genuinely like the guests and not patronize them. The Tonight show can play anywhere, but if Fallon is on an hour earlier, there will be no one who can touch his ratings. Not Kimmel, not Letterman, not even Leno. When the O'brien crisis started and NBC didn't know where to go with the hosting issue, they could have put Fallon in right away. He would have been a little green, but he could have managed it. Now that he's a little more seasoned, he'll do an even better job. Thank you, Jay, there's more for you to do at NBC during the day. There are plenty of holes in the NBC line up. Have you considered the Today show?

[eveallie]

Wow, I'd love to see Jay on the Today Show! I love both Tonight and Late Night. I especially enjoy the segments where Jay goes out on the streets and asks people about current events. Their responses are hilarious. Love Jimmy's show, but sometimes can't stay up to watch it. I hope they both get what they want and I'm sure they'll both do well. Good Luck!

[greennnnnn-2009]

How bout getting him offa NBC altogether? Or, hell, offa television altogether. He's a tool. Cannot stand that man.