Jimmy Fallon Tapped to Host Golden Globes

LOS ANGELES, CA - "The Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon will host of the 74th annual Golden Globe Awards, it was announced Tuesday.

The "Saturday Night Live" alum takes over hosting duties from this year's emcee Ricky Gervais, whose controversial style stands in stark contrast to the affable Fallon. The Golden Globes are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

"I'm really looking forward to spending time with the Hollywood Foreign Press before Donald Trump has them all deported," Fallon wrote on his Twitter page.

Prior to Gervais, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler -- both also "SNL" alums -- hosted from 2013-15.

"This is the most spontaneous and uninhibited award show on television, and Jimmy's playful, disarming comedic brilliance makes him the ideal host to enhance and elevate the sense of fun and irreverance that's made the Golden Globes one of the premier events of the entire broadcast year," NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt said.

The Golden Globes will be presented Jan. 8 at the Beverly Hilton.

"Jimmy Fallon is an exceptionally talented and dynamic entertainer and we couldn't be more excited that he'll be hosting the 2017 Golden Globes," HFPA President Lorenzo Soria said. "His charm, wit and incredible spontaneity will play exceedingly well both to everyone at the show as well as the millions watching at home from around the world."

City News Service and Patch staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo by Viva Vivanista on flickr.com