the executive producer, lorne michaels who is the king. name sounds familiar it is because lorne is the brains and creative mind behind "saturday night live," "night with seth myers" and "30 rock". which just finished its seventh season. that brings me to the number, $115,000 supposedly what nbc paid lorne michaels for "snl." sure that was back in 1975. but is it -- i don't think it's even a drop in the bucket. it's a fraction of the drop in a bucket of what he is worth which is now supposedly, $350 million. the senior editor for buzz feed outfront. these numbers are pretty stunning. talk about self made through his talents. personally won 13 emmy's, named one of the most influential people in the world. what is it about him? >> no one is more keenly aware of lorne michaels legacy than lorne michaels. every decision he makes is designed to either enhance his legacy or cement his place in history. so he does not feel any decision is too small from casting to costumes to the shows he chooses to put his alumni into, everything is brilliantly c

>> lorne michaels asked me to do it, he said, you want to curate a band?at does that mean, curate a banned? >> put a band together, come up with the sound. and i was interested in it, because i like what talk show bands represent. the sort of mirror they are of music and what's popular and what's maybe going to be popular and just a sound. it's defined, it's a framework to the show. and i just -- because i don't technically know music that well, i wanted to do it, like it's a good challenge. because i like something that i feel like maybe i'm kind of a fraud at, you know? >> you mentioned lorne michaels who is the producer of "the tonight show," late night with seth myers, snl and portlandia. it seems like the empire is growing always. >> he's not going for that, there's never a time when he was like, i'm going to do this show and that show, he's got this family of creative people and when he's a producer of something, it doesn't mean in name only. he really has opinions about the way things look and what they should be. and that's the value of it. >> you

, this is always going to be the lorn michaels era at nbc going forward. >> social media, hermella?i wish i could talk about leno's last week on the tonight show but haven't we been there, done that already? pretty muted compared to carson's. do you think it's because people have said good-bye once before? >> yes, i do, he does have a loyal audience and i'm sure they're going to miss him. it is a mainstream audience that doesn't have that social influence anymore. you're not seeing the sort of mourning that went into a seinfeld leaving or johnny himself leaving. there isn't quite as much drama around it. we wish him a happy retirement. he is an indefatiguable worker. >> one era to days away from the 50th anniversary of the beginning of another one. the beatles were on the ed sullivan show three weeks in a row, that kicked off beatle-mania, and we haven't seen anything like it, have we, bill? >> nothing in the 20th century had quite the effect believe it or not that the beatles had. maybe birth of a nation in 1917 or so. the songs that were number 1 hits before them were dominique by

so let me join lorne michaels and say to the democrats, lighten up.god more seriously and take yourselves less seriously. that would be my advice. so why would the academy that originally nominated a song for an oscar all of a sudden drop it from consideration? is it religious discrimination? well, the story and the singer, johnny eriksson is next. hey linda! what are you guys doing? having some fiber! with new phillips' fiber good gummies. they're fruity delicious! just two gummies have 4 grams of fiber! to help support gularity! i want some... [ woman ] hop on over! [ marge ] fiber the fun way, from phillips'. [ phone din ] [ nephew ] hi, heath. i can't wait to see you win gold! bye. [ male announcer ] there when you need it. at&t. the nation's most reliable 4g lte network. we are thinkers. the job jugglers. the up all-nhts. and the ones who turn ideas into action. we've made our passions our life's work. we strive for the moments where we can s, "i did it!" ♪ we are entrepreneurs who started it all... with a signature. legalzoom has helped start ov

>> he does, but he still has lorne michaels as his executive producer. >> all right.sition. another one. hopefully this one goes better. sean mccarthy, good to have you. thank you so much. we'll see what happens tomorrow night. and he's certainly going to be slow jamming the news. >> certainly. >> don't miss jimmy's premier tomorrow night. his first guest, will smith and musical guest u2. i want to thank you all for being with us watching this sunday afternoon. i'm t.j. holmes in for craig melvin today. we'll see you back here next weekend at 2:00. the man himself, craig melvin, will be back. up first, is she there? i can't see around the corner here. yeah, i'm told she's here. "disrupt" with karen finney. everyone have a good one. she is up next. ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then i get a little bit hungry ♪ ♪ and there's nothing good around ♪ ♪ turn around, barry ♪ i finally found the right snack ♪ [ female announcer ] fiber one. before chantix, i tried to quit probably about five times. it was different than the other times i tried to quit. [ male announcer ] along

lorne michaels is very good at finding late-night talent.said, you are better as a late-night talkshow host than doing other projects. >> lorne michaels has a good track record for spotting talent and putting people in places where they will succeed. i would not bet against him. >> neither would i. it will be competitive. >> is there going to be a woman at some point who will be able to take that spot? joan rivers tried to decades ago. >> she was actually on my snide. --lsea handler has a show last night. justly handler has a show. -- chelsea handler has a show. jimmy fallon's audience is about 65% female. a lot of them are sticking on. it is an interesting question. i don't see why not. meredith vieira did a great job as the anchor of the olympics. >> that's true. kind ofetterman is now the old guard. >> he is revered by both fallon and kimmel. they grew up watching david letterman. >> how long will they last? >> as long as he wants to. he has done a great job. that was a disaster before letterman moved there. he is there as long as he want

you are bigger than lorne michaels ever was.aying that i don't do this as much wit liberals because they are a little bit more sensitive. >> yes, they are not sensitive, the conservatives, of course, whoever is theictim sometimes get upset. but he does a good job and he's done it for 35 years. >> that's not what i'm asking it. he'saying that it's easier to target conservatives because they take things personally. is that true? >> no way. >> that's lorne, that's not me. >> the conservatives handed to them on a plate. where else would you find it mike huckabee comingout in a anger birth control is a woman's problem in controlling her libido. he had the look the word out. neil: so with av, you have a lot of liberal friends, which makes me think that yo are a suspicious as a character. [laughter] but do you find your liberal friends are a little bit -- skid than your conservative ones? >> absolutely not. neil: he must be smoking something. >> welcome i hope so. how do you do an hour and a half a week without that help. [laughter] >>

. >> he's another disciple of lorne michaels.ing of late-night. >> he is. >> the kingmaker. >> exactly. that is so fractional eyes. the other thing is that viewership is very stable. i think it is really important that jimmy fallon started out strong. hopefully the sampling people will stay with them for nbc's estate. campbell and letterman are very strong competitors. they have been there over a year. the viewing patterns do not change. as is a volatile part. >> you have fallon and myers. what does it mean for letterman and camel? >> for them to try and maintain the audience they have. as anan let to this opportunity to take some of the audience that may not want to watch jimmy fallon. is a very disruptive time when you get a new host at a new time. it gives you an opportunity to take as many viewers as you can from the other guy. >> what about the generational split, is it obvious? >> yes. broadcast tv is kind of like the olympics. the younger folks are either watching adult swim or they are watching cable with comedy central o

lorne michaels who is will be fallon's executive producer said that fallon is the closest thing he's rson in a general raise, do you agree? >> michaels have proved himself to be a bit of a genius so i would be the last to argue with lorne's opinion of that. sure, jimmy is young, he's college at looking and in his way as johnny always was, he is funny, he can ad-lib which is different from being just funny. i mean, in addition to it, and he's witty. and he's appealing. >> he can sing, he can do impressions, he's really multi talented the show is really more of a variety show than talk show. >> though johnny, as they always say was a dear friends of mind, he really was. but there are more talents in mr. fallon just in terms of number -- of impressions, voices, dialects, of musical skills, of a variety of kind and a damn good defense of how to handle a guest. he would never step on your punch line. a terrible thing to happen when you -- it's like a waiter, you know, what would be, that was no lady that was my -- you want some more coffee. when a hoist does that to you you want them dead.

let's also remember that the guy behind the scenes is the guy behind saturday night life, lorne michaelso shows on nbc, saturday night live, and he has association with some prime time too. so this is also going to be the lauren michaels era going forward. >> we have a social media question for you, let's go hermela. >> i wish i could care about len on's last week but haven't we been there and done that enough already. even after 20 plus years with the tonight show leno's farewell seems mooted compared to carsons, do you think it's because people said goodbye once before? >> i do. and he does have a loyal audience and i am sure they'll misimpressiomiss him. it's a mainstream audience that doesn't have the social media influence anymore and doesn't have mean allies in the big city media either. you are not seeing the sort of morning that wenmourning with sg and johnny leaving. there is not as much drama. this time but we all wish him a great happy retirement. he's a great working, going to be available in standup all around the country and i am sure he will be back on nbc in some for him

. >> lorne michaels will be in charge of almost everything you see late night at nbc for years come."tonight show" starring jimmy fallon tonight at midnight following the olympic and the late local news. as for the big move to n.y., our facebook friend catherine says, "new york better for reality-based people in entertainment." to be clear, facebook does not necessarily represent the views of this --not to say we don't want to hear your views. we do. keep them coming at the facebook.com/thecycle. >>> up next, as the pot debate heats up, an eye-opening look at some of our dangerous devices, vices that are already legal. [ female announcer ] a classic macaroni & cheese from stouffer's starts with freshly-made pasta, and 100% real cheddar cheese. but what makes stouffer's mac n' cheese best of all. that moment you enjoy it at home. stouffer's. made with care for you or your family. yeah... try new alka seltzer fruit chews. they work fast on heartburn and taste awesome. these are good. told ya! i'm feeling better already. [ male announcer ] new alka seltzer fruits chews. enjoy the relief

but more importantly, i got to put money on the lorne michael's machine.ot to put money on what i see as incredible intellect behind the launch of a new show and an artist. it's been going on awhile. it's been staged perfectly. >> okay. take a short break. come back talk about some of the new stories of the day including the sad death of a comedic legend, sid ceasar today who died on the heels of losing shirley temple. it has been a sad week for losing legends, and including jerry seinfeld's take the on how politically correct comedians should be when they cast their own shows. [ male announcer ] this is joe woods' first day of work. and his new boss told him two things -- cook what you love, and save your money. joe doesn't know it yet, but he'll work his way up from busser to waiter to chef before opening a restaurant specializing in fish and game from the great northwest. he'll start investing early, he'll find some good people to help guide him, and he'll set money aside from his first day of work to his last, which isn't rocket science. it's just comm

finally, jimmy fallon, as i understand it, is the person that introduced you way back when to lorne michaelsed my advice, man. he's going to kill it. i think everyone is really excited. it seems to be the story that's going on right now. everyone's pumped to see jimmy take over. and also, my buddy seth, it's going to be cool and exciting. >> "snl" taking over the world. by the way, i heard you do a wicked impression of jimmy. >> you heard that? >> yes. >> it's very excitable. >> i'm so excited right now. did you hear that? i'm so excited. that's pretty much it. >> golden globe winner andy samberg, hold your applause. >> please. >> thank you so much. brooklyn 99 on fox. >>> coming up next, giada is here to take your lasagna to the next level. stay with us for that? >> you know it. >> first, this is "today" on nbc. >>> "today's kitchen" is brought to you by smucker's, with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. >> we are back at 8:42. this morning on "today's kitchen," we are cooking with giada delarentas. >> making sure it's not burnt. this is the roux we're making here. >> we're not. >> b