Bag Of Hair Gets The Fans Fired Up For Some Mediocrity
Before he takes over for Conan O'Brien next spring, Bag of Hair is doing some webisodes to get people fired up for the new show and let them know what they can expect. And apparently what they can expect is a lot of ADD gesticulation and mildly uncomfortable earnestness*.
It's funny how he still seems like he's about to break character any second? Like he did in all of his SNL sketches always? Except that he's not playing a character, and this isn't live. And also stop it. This is bad enough that it's actually making me rethink The Roots. I mean, I knew they were white people college hip hop, but I didn't know they were THE WHITEST people college hip hop.
*Despite what you may think, I am a big fan of earnestness, just not in my late night television. Combining earnestness with celebrity interviews is how Inside the Actor's Studios happen.
Posted by Gabe at 12:20 PM in Late Night
Tags: Bag Of Hair | Late Night With Conan O'Brien | The Roots
somehow I felt The Roots were better than this
Score = 1
The Roots have always been terrible.
Score = -7
I fucking hate elmo! Couldn't Falon and Carson D fight to the death. Big ratings ... it could save the news division!!!
Score = 0
This is going to be like hour long versions of that sketch he used to do when he had the dreadlocks....
Score = 2
The Roots have always been outstanding. This is unfortunate.
Score = 2
Well, he isn't lying when he says The Roots will be the greatest band in late night. And the Max Weinberg 7 are pretty excellent.
C'mon, Roots, why are you slumming here?
Score = 0
The Roots are cool and all, but this can do nothing but hurt their reputation.
If anyone's heard of that CD Jimmy Fallon released a few years ago, it is one of the worst things I have ever seen, heard, read, or generally experienced in all my days.
It is so bad it could qualify for "The Worst Movie of All Time, Ever", but in deference to the other illustrious candidates, he couldn't be allowed to enter.
Score = 1
in the underground hip-hop community, that's known as a "steady gig."
Score = 0
The Roots are a great live band that don't always come across brilliantly on record, and I think they're beyond worrying about their reputation right now. Even with a lot of critical praise, they got dropped from their last label. Then they were picked up by another label for their latest album, which has barely gone cardboard in terms of sales. No one is buying their shit right now. If Fallon's show doesn't implode then this will give The Roots a higher profile than they've ever had, and might even help sell some records if they decide to go back into the studio. Also, The Roots were the house band for Comedy Central for a little while. So they've been here before, without crushing their reputation. I think people who like The Roots will continue to like them, and people who insist they were always terrible will continue to like being wrong.
Score = 3
yeah, todd & matt got it right. in 2008-09, notions of "slumming" or "selling out" are far too complicated and/or personal for someone else to stamp some kinda outside opinion on it.
ever been a touring musician or band for 15+ years? ever had artistic integrity & originality but no steady paycheck, no benefits? ever had a strong fan base but weak record sales? ever have a family that you never see cuz you're on the road for 200+ dates a year? ever always get racist shit thrown at you (from both sides) because you make "black music for white people" (whatever that means)?
if you answer "no" to any of those questions, you have no place talking shit about the roots being fallon's house band, despite the possible corniness of it all. this is a golden opportunity giving them better recognition, not to mention some well-deserved stability.
Score = 3
I agree with pretty much all of this, except that you can't have an outside opinion if you've never done any of that. I've never done any of that and, as a Roots fan-- no matter how supportive I am of the fact that they've finally got a steady, relaxing paycheck after playing 300 shows a year for n years-- I feel it's fair to be just a little worried that they might lose some of their dignity. Television's a different and equally monstrous beast to the music industry. I'm not disappointed in the Roots; I just think Jimmy Fallon sucks, and I'm hoping they bring him up and he doesn't drag them to his level.
A major part of me is glad that they've found a stable high profile position, absolutely no doubt.
A sidenote: Rising Down basically sounded like the calmest album a band imploding from agitation could possibly make. What will the new presidency + new cushy NBC job do for their next opus? Better or worse album? Hard to say 'til it drops.
Score = -1
Has anyone considered the possibility, however remote, that Late Night with Jimmy Fallon might actually be good? Give him a chance to fail before declaring his show a failure. I'd even suggest granting him a couple of years as a grace period.
God knows Conan needed a healthy grace period. He probably would have died on set in his second month without Andy there as support.
Score = 1