'Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' premiere seen by 11.3M viewers

NEW YORK, Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Monday's series premiere of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" in New York was watched by 11.3 million viewers, NBC said Tuesday.

The inaugural program featured an interview with Will Smith and a performance by U2, as well as appearances by Tina Fey, Robert De Niro, Lady Gaga, Joan Rivers, Stephen Colbert, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rudy Giuliani, Mike Tyson and Kim Kardashian.

Monday's episode was the first "Tonight Show" to be taped in New York in more than 40 years. Jay Leno, who took over as emcee from Johnny Carson 22 years ago, left the show this month. Carson and Leno both taped the program in Burbank, Calif.

About 6.6 million people tuned in for the Feb. 7 finale of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."