It seems like NBC isn’t looking too far outside of its own family while reconfiguring its late night comedy block. With SNL veterans Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers taking over The Tonight Show and The Late Show respectively over the next few weeks, the peacock network is looking to bring even more former cast members of the sketch series into the fold. In a recent tweet from Meyers, he confirmed that SNL alum and current Portlandia star, Fred Armisen, will be the new leader of the Late Night band on a nightly basis:
Fred will curate and lead the band, and continue to run it even when he's off shooting Portlandia. #8GBand
Armisen will replace The Roots, who led the band while Fallon was the Late Night host. This pairing could lead to more comedic improvisation between Meyers and Armisen than late night audiences are used to, but it could also turn into one of the show’s trademarks if done right.
Late Night with Seth Meyers will debut on February 24, while Portlandia will return to IFC on February 27.
