Tonight Show obsession continued through graduation thank you notes...
I was a part of a rigorous program called the International Baccalaureate Program and it caused me many late nights of homework. I stayed up doing biology labs, math problems, papers for any and every class--you name it. For me to work efficiently, I found it helpful to have background noise, so I would turn on the local news at 10 and then the local news on NBC at 11. I had no problem focusing on my homework with the Kentucky news playing. However, after the 11 o'clock news was The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. At first, his show too was not an issue, but then I began to listen to it, and watch it, and get distracted. The good news was, I watched the monologue and opening segment and was able to regain focus on my homework during the interviews. Then homework nights got later...all the way to Late Night with Seth Meyers. I soon was hooked on his monologue and opening segment as well.
Some might say that this was bad...my lack of focus that resulted from the shows. But I don't think so. Sure, I might have ended up going to bed 30 minutes later and maybe my homework wasn't as perfect as it could have been. But let me tell you, I always had a chance to smile and laugh before going to sleep. Before my late night TV breaks, I got frustrated and stressed to the point of tears. Always. And while I still had those moments (and probably just as frequently), I was able to smile. I was able to take a break from the tedious assignments and just laugh. How great is that?!
While their jobs may seem like "fun" jobs or maybe even "easy" jobs, I truly believe that people like Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers who host these late night talk shows have some of the toughest jobs around. Think about it. Every night, you have to come out with a smile and make other people smile. Even if you've had an awful day. You have to immediately be likable. But I think that what makes them so great at what they do is why the do it. I see this a lot with Jimmy Fallon. He is always having fun--smiling and laughing and having fun with his guests, with Higgins, with the material, with everything. But even more than having fun...he does what he does for a specific reason, and it's super cool. After coming back from a finger injury, he said, "This is the meaning of my life. I belong on TV, and I should be talking to people who are in an ICU, or wherever you are...if anyone is suffering at all, this is my job. I'm here to make you laugh, and I wanna make you have a good time." Here's the full clip (watch around 4:20):
I so admire people, like Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers (and all the many other late night hosts), who do what they do to serve people. And it's not just their jobs. It's your job. It's my job. Do what you love to do to serve people. I do theatre, specifically children's theatre, to serve people. Maybe you are an engineer or a teacher or or a musician or a doctor or an athlete. Whatever you are, serve others doing what you do...and have freaking fun while you're doing it!!!!
So maybe my "Late Night"(s) and "Tonights" with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon weren't just a distraction. Perhaps they were to show me the beauty of serving people and the beauty of taking a moment to just laugh. So, Jimmy Fallon, I take it back. I don't blame you for those late nights of homework. I THANK YOU for them.
P.S. Please watch these gifs while listening to music...you'll thank me.
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