'Tonight Show' announcer, Des Moines native Steve Higgins visits his butter sculpture

“When you're made of butter, everything feels good,” said Steve Higgins as he looked at himself riding the Sky Glider next to Jimmy Fallon, the late-night host.

After all, it's not often that your likeness is crafted in butter. NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner and Indiana Fever basketball star Caitlin Clark had their churn in the butter at the Iowa State Fair last year.

And this year, the Des Moines native has his own butter version of himself on display in the Ag Building. Higgins joined the likes of the Star Trek Enterprise, the Giant Slide, the "Music Man" and other iconic moments rendered in butter.

On Saturday, he visited his butter sculpture to stare himself in the eye. He met butter sculptor Sarah Pratt and her daughters Grace and Hannah Pratt, who all created the artwork.

The sculpture features Higgins and Jimmy Fallon sitting together on a seat on the Sky Glider, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024. Higgins was born and grew up in Des Moines. He graduated from Des Moines Roosevelt High School and attended the University of Iowa before moving with his brothers to Los Angeles.

“As an Iowan it's something you didn't even think could be a possibility,” he said from the Ag Building. “I've won many Emmys, but this is more thrilling,”

Higgins is the announcer of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," joining the show in 2014. Prior to "The Tonight Show," he served as the announcer for "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" from 2009 to 2014 and as a writer and producer of "Saturday Night Live."

“I didn't in a million years think that butter was in my future,” he said.

Higgins joins butter sculptures of nighttime celebrities Johnny Carson and Fallon, as well as a sky glider seat to commemorate the 50th year of the Main Sky Glider. Of course, the butter cow is on display as well.

Higgins planned to spend the rest of Saturday at the fair, eating his way through Bauder’s peppermint ice cream bars, his favorite, and breaded pork tenderloins.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowan Steve Higgins visits his Iowa State Fair butter sculpture