Hip-Hop Comes to Late Night

Network execs want to clear all choices after Bachmann incident

(NEWSER) - Bad news for those of you who were highly amused by Questlove's choice of walk-on song for Michele Bachmann: It won't be happening again. The Late Night With Jimmy Fallon drummer tells Rolling Stone he was informed the very next morning that he must now clear every song with three NBC executives. "It was a real bummer," adds Fallon. "We don’t want to censor anyone, but … I don’t know. Maybe Questlove is a Romney guy." More»

She's still cool with Jimmy, though

(NEWSER) - Apparently apologies from Questlove and Jimmy Fallon weren’t enough for Michele Bachmann. Reflecting on her Late Night introduction song incident—which she called “an outrage”—Bachmann insisted to Fox's America’s Newsroom that, while she accepts Fallon’s apology, she wants one from NBC as well. “If that song had been played for Michelle Obama, I have no doubt that NBC would have apologized to her, and likely they could have fired the drummer, or at least suspended him,” she said. “This wouldn’t be tolerated if this was Michelle Obama, it shouldn’t be tolerated if it’s a conservative woman either.” See the clip from Mediaite . More»

'Late Night' host apologizes via Twitter

(NEWSER) - Questlove isn’t the only one who’s sorry about the less-than-flattering walk-on song the Roots played for Michele Bachmann’s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon appearance Monday. Fallon himself apologized to Bachmann via Twitter yesterday, tweeting, "I'm honored that @michelebachmann was on our show yesterday and I'm so sorry about the intro mess. I really hope she comes back." CNN reports that Bachmann had not responded as of last night. Click for more, and to see the video . More»

Chelsea Handler wins, obviously

(NEWSER) - Jimmy Fallon and Chelsea Handler competed in a vodka martini race last night, and Handler won—after the Late Night host fell and cut his hand on a broken martini glass. "You made me bleed!" Fallon accused Handler, as she concluded, "This is an awful game. I should never come back here." Watch the chaos in the gallery. More»

David Letterman still wins, but he's in a class of his own

(NEWSER) - Despite all the publicity heaped upon them in recent weeks, there are more late night hosts than just Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien. After years of following the major late night shows, Michael Giltz decided the time has come to declare a new king. His final verdict? Craig Ferguson, but only if you take David Letterman out of the running. Check out his thoughts, from the Huffington Post :

• David Letterman: “He's already ascended to the pantheon, alongside Johnny Carson, Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Dick Cavett, and just a few others. His legacy is assured, so he doesn't get ranked alongside the others.”
• Craig Ferguson: “He's been charming the pants off us for some 1000 shows now and doing it effortlessly,” and last night’s show—during which he eschewed the audience and simply talked to Stephen Fry for an hour—“was an arresting, wonderful hour akin to the glory days of Dick Cavett.”