Jimmy Fallon Pays Tribute to JAY LENO: 'The Guy's Unbelievable'

Jimmy Fallon, who will take over the reins of NBC's THE TONIGHT SHOW beginning Monday, February 17th, opened his show by thanking his good friend and mentor Jay Leno on the eve of the comedian's final 'Tonight Show' broadcast.

Fallon joked that since ratings for the final week of Leno's 'Tonight Show' have been the strongest in the last four years. "NBC's gonna extend it a week so we're gonna have another week of saying good-bye to Jay Leno."

The SNL alum also looked back at the good times he spent with Leno and shared how excited he was about taking over as host of the iconic late night talk show. "It's so exciting that we're taking it over and bringing it back here," he said of returning the show to New York City.

In the end, Fallon summed up Leno with these words, "The guy's unbelievable!"

Watch the opening of last night's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon here!

About the show:

Named "the most enjoyable late-night show" by the New York Times in 2011, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" has become the go-to destination for comedy, music and A-list talent. Comedian Jimmy Fallon brings a fun new energy to the NBC comedy-talk franchise with his personalized interview style, love of audience participation, spot-on impersonations and innovative sketches. The show consistently garners attention for viral videos, audience games and prominent guests such as Tom Cruise, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow and Justin Timberlake. Fallon's choice of house band, The Roots, has been universally praised.

In less than three years on the air, Fallon and the "Late Night" team have already begun collecting awards. Most recently, Fallon was honored with a 2012 People's Choice Award for Favorite Late Night Host and the late-night talk show was celebrated with three 2011 Emmy nominations, including the show's first nominations in the series and writing categories. In 2010, the show won its second consecutive Emmy for its website, latenightwithjimmyfallon.com, as well as an Emmy for Short-Form Editing for the "Glee" parody "6-Bee." "Late Night's" website also earned a 2009 Webby Award and the same year, Fallon himself received the "Webby Person of the Year" Award.

Since its broadcast debut on March 2, 2009, "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" has created a huge online presence for itself with many of its popular segments, celebrity sketches and musical performances becoming viral hits. "Late Night" guests come to Fallon's studio 6B ready to play. Memorable moments include Fallon dressed as Neil Young in a parody of pop hit "Whip My Hair" with Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake joining Fallon for a musical melody through the "History of Rap," and Fallon and Paul McCartney singing a duet of "Yesterday" with the original lyrics in a performance of "Scrambled Eggs."

Popular serialized "Late Night" segments include "Real Housewives of Late Night" and "Jersey Floor," which spoofs present day reality TV sensations. "Robert Is Bothered" and "Reflections of Justin Bieber" are other notable fan favorites, in addition to audience participation bits like "Models and Buckets," "Competitive Spit-Takes," and "Freestyling with The Roots."

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