Jimmy Fallon Comedian

RIT students are institutionalized. That's what Jimmy Fallon said tonight at the Gordon Field House. RIT students are insane, which is why they attend an institution, not a university. He was joking, of course--Jimmy Fallon is a comedian. Jokes are his job. Songs and impressions are too, it seems, as he spent most of his routine singing or pretending to be someone he isn't.

Perhaps it was his fame, his previous performances on Saturday Night Live or any of his box-office disappointments, but the expectation that Jimmy Fallon would be funny spurred audience laughter more than his material may have on its own. Fallon's opener, Matt Kirshen, late of TV's Last Comic Standing, garnered more laughter and for longer periods of time after a few minutes on stage than Fallon did the whole night. Kirshen's material was original, witty, and even self-effacing at times, the combo of which makes for one side-splitting evening. It's just unfortunate he couldn't close the show as well.

Fallon’s first song was "Let's Have a Car Wash for Peace," wherein he poked fun of Wal-Marts and the pointlessness of peace movements. His next songs were a series of spot-on covers in the style of Weird Al Yankovic, but with an environmentally-conscious twist. He sang "I'm Bringing Bottles Back" for Justin Timberlake's "I'm Bringing Sexy Back," "I Kissed Al Gore and I Liked It" for Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl," "Ethanol Production" for Snoop Dog's "Sensual Seduction," "They Tried to Make Me Buy a Prius" for Amy Winehouse's "Rehab," and finally "This Bus is Part of My Home (. . .because I can't afford gas anymore)" for Maroon 5's "This Love."

Mark Donahoe, father of 5th year Computer Science major Quinn Donahoe, said that of Fallon's whole performance, he liked the songs the best. Mark's wife, and Quinn's mother, Michelle Donahoe said, "I think [Fallon] did a great job. . . spontaneously interacting with the crowd." When Fallon demonstrated that every 80s song could be sung over MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This," the audience response was enthusiastic. Quinn Donahoe's favorite part of Fallon's routine was, "He didn't make fun of the interpreter. Finally. Every comedian here always makes fun of the interpreter and it just gets old." Yet if it was something a comedian didn't do that was the most enjoyable, there is probably something wrong with the performance.

Photo credit: Sarah Ortiz

Photo credit: Sarah Ortiz