Jimmy Fallon owes his success to 'SNL' honcho Lorne Michaels

Jimmy Fallon, who will be taking over the Tonight Show from Jay Leno next month, opened up to Vanity Fair about his rise to fame after nailing a Saturday Night Live audition at the age of 24 and who he credits with helping him deal with his life changing so drastically.

Fallon said he owes a lot to SNL creator and producer, Lorne Michaels, who he talked to about things his father woudn’t possibly know.

“Lorne helped me with everything—with relationships, with me getting famous,” he told Vanity Fair.

“I was going through certain steps, and there were certain things I couldn’t talk to my dad about, because he wouldn’t know. Like ‘I have money now. Do I still rent? Do I buy an apartment?’” adding, “Or ‘I’m in L.A., and I have to rent a car.’ [“Lorne” voice] ‘You should get a Lexus, because you want to be quiet.’ Or ‘Should I date this actress?’ [“Lorne” voice] ‘You can date her, but you probably shouldn’t marry her.’ And he’d be totally right.”

When he left SNL in 2004 to pursue films in Los Angeles, it didn’t quite pan out. However, Michaels was there to guide him on the right track, suggesting he try hosting Late Night.

People reports he starting hosting the late night show in 2009 and the rest is history.

Fallon, a new father, is bringing the Tonight Show back to its roots in New York.

image: Vanity Fair

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