Fred Armisen Named New Bandleader for “Late Night With Seth Myers”

Amid filming for Portlandia, the funnyman returns to his first love: Music.

Just last week we said goodbye to Seth Meyers on Saturday Night Live,but we’ll be seeing a lot more of him when he takes over for Jimmy Fallon as the host of NBC’s Late Night. And now we’ve learned that another SNLalum will be joining the festivities. Fred Armisen – longtime SNL cast-member, star of the hit IFC comedy series Portlandia, and occasional spender of Maxim‘s hard-earned cash – will serve as bandleader of the in-house ensemble at Studio 8G.


It may seem like an odd choice, but not really, given that Armisen has an extensive musical background; he plays a variety of instruments and is a former member of the Blue Man Group. We have complete faith in the hilarious actor and look forward to watching him showcase his talents in a new way. But before he takes the stage with his guitar, we do have one request: Put a bird on it. 

Photos by AMC Networks