NBC Anchor Feeling Skit-ish

Asked if a successful "SNL" stint might lure some younger viewers to his newscast, Williams says: "It hadn't occurred to me that people would come up with that angle, the marketing angle."

While Williams may have feared a chorus of condemnation over tomorrow's star turn, it hasn't materialized yet. On MarketWatch.com, columnist Jon Friedman wrote: "It's about time that Brian Williams tried to let his hair down on TV. Maybe, just maybe, this unusual experience will help Williams loosen up."

But a handful of critics have said CBS's Katie Couric would have been barbecued for such an appearance and that news anchors should steer clear of such froth.

Larry Sabato, a political science professor at the University of Virginia, says that while he respects Williams, "I associate that position with serious journalism, and I don't think appearing on late-night comedy shows encourages seriousness. Quite the opposite. These people need to decide whether they want to be taken seriously as journalists or they just want to be celebrities. Which is it?

"One reason a lot of people are watching Charlie Gibson is because he doesn't show up on these shows."

Michaels, however, believes the stint will help Williams as an anchor, saying: "I don't think you ever really trust someone who you don't think has a sense of humor."

Williams rejects the notion that he will morph into a wild and crazy guy. "If anyone's been paying attention to the post-9/11 'Nightly News,' with a few exceptions here and there it has been serious. We try to offer a feature at the end about somebody doing something good. The skills required to successfully navigate the 'Daily Show' or 'Saturday Night Live' have nothing to do with my job."

So what is his level of trepidation about his late-night debut?

"High to extreme," Williams says. "I don't work in front of a live audience with cue cards and all of that. This is going to be totally new."