A.D. Miles is stepping down as “Tonight Show” head writer, TheWrap has learned.
The comedian is returning to Los Angeles with his family to pursue acting and also sitcom and film writing, we’ve been told. Miles, who will still scribe skits for Jimmy Fallon over the next few weeks, will continue to work with his longtime boss as he and the “Tonight Show” host are doing an animated feature together.
NBC’s 11:30 p.m. viewers may best know Miles as the dorky Camp Winnipesaukee counselor that constantly cracked friends Fallon and Justin Timberlake up. Others will recognize him as Gary from “Wet Hot American Summer.” So, yeah, a theme has emerged in his comedic acting career.
Miles and Fallon first hooked up eight years ago on NBC’s “Late Night.” Since then they’ve done north of 1,500 television episodes together.
“Miles was there for the launch of ‘Late Night’ as well as the launch of ‘The Tonight Show.’ He is one of the funniest, most creative people I’ve ever met and I can’t wait to work on this next project with him,” Fallon told us. “He’s family to us, and we are gonna miss him.”
“Riding Jimmy Fallon’s coattails for the past eight years has given me all the confidence I need to strike out on my own and work on a movie with Jimmy Fallon,” the less-sincere Miles quipped.
Miles’ transition has been in the works for a while so he could pursue other interests and forms, such as narrative writing. (So, cool it with the “Hmmm, right when Colbert became No. 1…” conspiracy theories, readers.)
A successor for Miles at “The Tonight Show” has yet to be named.
From Universal Television and Broadway Video, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” is executive produced by Lorne Michaels. Producers include Gerard Bradford, Mike DiCenzo and Katie Hockmeyer.