NBC announced on Tuesday that when new host Jimmy Fallon takes over The Tonight Show from Jay Leno in February 2014, the historic program will be renamed The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Throughout Jay Leno’s tenure as host, the show has been titled The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, as the Huffington Post reports.
Fallon is taking the classic late-night talk show back to its roots: the word “starring” was used in the show’s title throughout the reigns of Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson. Later hosts Leno and Conan O’Brien both used the less important “with.”
Amy Ozols, longtime writer of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, will be named producer of The Tonight Show when Fallon begins his hosting duties next year. SNL creator Lorne Michaels will be executive producer.
“It’s been so fun working with Amy these past four years -- she's been a standout writer and producer since we started Late Night" said Fallon. "She puts so much thought and care into everything she does and we share the same vision about making the best television that we can produce. I know she'll put that same intelligence, cleverness and care into The Tonight Show. This is exciting.”
Ozols has served as one of Fallon’s writers since the premiere of Late Night in 2009, according to the Los Angeles Time.
Ozols reportedly created many of Fallon’s hit parodies, such as “Game of Desks” and the show’s “Real Housewives” spoofs. She also wrote his opening number from the 2010 Emmys.