Fallon keeping vow to Chicago readers
“Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon says he’ll keep his word to bring his show to Chicago, thanks to local students making good on their promise to read millions of words this summer.
Fallon announced Thursday on his late-night NBC show that he would make good on his deal with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to host the show from Chicago if the city’s public school students read 2.4 million books over the summer. The students did even better, according to the mayor, reading 2.7 million books as part of his Readers Summer Learning Challenge.
The handshake wager was made in June, when Emanuel appeared on Fallon’s show in return for Fallon jumping into frigid Lake Michigan with the mayor in March during Chicago’s Polar Plunge. Fallon took the chilly dip dressed in a business suit.
On Thursday, Fallon didn’t specify when he would host his show from Chicago.
“We have, like, 200 something people that have to go with us,” he told his television audience. So Rahm, if you’ve got room in your house, we’ll come and hang with you.”
Emanuel didn’t seem opposed to the idea.
“Excited to welcome @JimmyFallon to Chicago to celebrate 2.7 million books read by our kids,” Emanuel tweeted Thursday night. “Yes, Jimmy, you can stay at my house.”
Cohen sings praises of touring again
Leonard Cohen, who returned to performing after a 15-year hiatus in 2008, says touring has improved his mood.
“Well, getting back on the road has improved my mood considerably because I was never good at civilian life,” says Cohen, who turns 80 next week.
The Canadian songwriter spoke Thursday at a listening event in New York City for his new album, “Popular Problems,” to be released Tuesday. The “Hallelujah” performer was full of good cheer at Joe’s Pub, providing laughs for the small crowd of journalists and music industry players.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, best known for his dark poetic lyrics, discovered in 2004 that most of his retirement fund had disappeared in a disputed case of mismanagement. His solution was to return to touring.
His new album was produced by Patrick Leonard, best known for working with Madonna. He said he didn’t originally plan on releasing “Popular Problems” the same week of his birthday.
“It was a happy accident,” he said. “In my family, we have a very charitable approach to birthdays: we ignore them.”
The birthday bunch
Singer Gogi Grant is 90. Actress-comedian Anne Meara is 85. Actress Sophia Loren is 80. Rock musician Chuck Panozzo is 67. Actor Tony Denison is 65. Actress Debbi Morgan is 63. Jazz musician Peter White is 60. Actress Betsy Brantley is 59. Actor Gary Cole is 58. Actress Kristen Johnston is 47. Rock singers Matthew Nelson and Gunnar Nelson are 47. Actor Charlie Weber is 36. Rock musician Rick Woolstenhulme is 35.