James Douglas Muir Leno ( ; born April 28, 1950)
is an American television host, comedian, and writer. After doing stand-up comedy for years, he became the host of
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
's ''
The Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...
'' from 1992 until 2009 when
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, actor, and producer. He is best known for having hosted Late-night talk show, late-night talk shows, beginning with ''Late Night with Conan O'B ...
took over as host. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, ''
The Jay Leno Show
''The Jay Leno Show'' is an American prime time talk show hosted by Jay Leno that was broadcast by NBC from September 14, 2009, to February 9, 2010. The series was a spiritual successor to his previous late-night talk show ''The Tonight Show wit ...
'', which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m.
ET, also on NBC. O'Brien turned down NBC's offer to have Leno host a half hour monologue show before ''The Tonight Show'' to boost ratings amid reported viewership diminishing, which sparked the
2010 ''Tonight Show'' conflict that resulted in Leno's returning to hosting the show on March 1, 2010.
He hosted his last episode of his second tenure on February 6, 2014. That year, he was inducted into the
Television Hall of Fame
The Television Academy Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to U.S. television. The hall of fame was founded by former Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) president John H. Mitchell (1921–1988). In ...
. From 2014 to 2022, he hosted ''
Jay Leno's Garage
''Jay Leno's Garage'' is an American web and former television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars and motorbikes starring Jay Leno, the former host of ''The Tonight Show''. Originally a web series for NBC.com, a special aired on CNBC in ...
,'' and from 2021 to 2023, hosted the revival of ''
You Bet Your Life
''You Bet Your Life'' is an American comedy quiz series that has aired on both radio[The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...](_blank)
''.
Early life
Leno was born April 28, 1950, in
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle ( ; in ) is a Political subdivisions of New York State#City, city in Westchester County, New York, Westchester County, New York (state), New York, United States. It is a suburb of New York City, located approximately from Midtow ...
. His homemaker mother, Catherine (née Muir; 1911–1993), was born in
Greenock
Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...
, Scotland, and came to the United States at age 11. His father, Angelo (1910–1994), was an insurance salesman born in New York to immigrants from
Flumeri
Flumeri ( Irpino: ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, Campania, southern Italy.
Located in the Apennines upon a knoll within the Ufita Valley, the town is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia. Its te ...
, Campania, Italy. Leno grew up in
Andover, Massachusetts
Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was Settler, settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''Encyclopedia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed. ...
, and graduated from
Andover High School. He obtained a
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...
in
speech therapy
Speech is the use of the human voice as a medium for language. Spoken language combines vowel and consonant sounds to form units of meaning like words, which belong to a language's lexicon. There are many different intentional speech acts, suc ...
from
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...
in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
, where he started a comedy club in 1973.
His older brother, Patrick (May 12, 1940 – October 6, 2002), was a
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
veteran who became an attorney.
Career
Early career
Leno made his first appearance on ''The Tonight Show'' on March 2, 1977, performing a comedy routine. During the 1970s, he had minor roles in several television series and films, first in the 1976 episode "J.J. in Trouble" of ''
Good Times
''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans (actor), Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was televis ...
,'' and the same year in the pilot of ''
Holmes & Yo-Yo''. After an uncredited appearance in the 1977 film ''
Fun with Dick and Jane'', he played more prominent roles in 1978 in ''
American Hot Wax
''American Hot Wax'' is a 1978 biographical film directed by Floyd Mutrux with a screenplay by John Kaye from a story by John Kaye and Art Linson. The film tells the story of pioneering disc jockey Alan Freed, who in the 1950s helped introduce ...
'' and ''
Silver Bears
''Silver Bears'' is a 1978 British comedy crime thriller film based on a novel by Paul Erdman, directed by Ivan Passer and starring Michael Caine, Cybill Shepherd, Louis Jourdan and Joss Ackland. Caine portrays mob accountant "Doc" Fletcher ...
''. His other appearances from that period include guest spots on the television shows ''
One Day at a Time'', ''
Alice
Alice may refer to:
* Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname
Literature
* Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll
* ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...
'' and ''
Laverne & Shirley
''Laverne & Shirley'' is an American television sitcom that ran for eight seasons on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of ''Happy Days'', ''Laverne & Shirley'' stars Penny Marshall and Cindy Wi ...
''. He had minor roles in the films ''
Americathon
''Americathon'' (also known as ''Americathon 1998'') is a 1979 American science fiction comedy film directed by Neal Israel and starring John Ritter, Fred Willard, Peter Riegert, Harvey Korman, and Nancy Morgan, with narration by George Carlin ...
'' (1979), and ''
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers that contain one or two ester linkages in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include some natura ...
'' (1981). His only starring film role was the 1989 direct-to-video ''
Collision Course'', with
Pat Morita
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) was an American actor and comedian. He began his career as a stand-up comedian, before becoming known to television audiences for his recurring role as diner owner Matsuo "Arnold" Takah ...
. He also appeared numerous times on ''
Late Night with David Letterman
''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the first installment of the '' Late Night''. Hosted by David Letterman, it aired from February1, 1982 to June 25, 1993, and was replaced by ...
''.
He also appeared on three weeks of the short-lived
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
game show
A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...
''
Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour
''Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour'' is an American television panel game show that combined two panel games of the 1960s and 1970s – ''Match Game'' and ''Hollywood Squares'' – into an hour-long format.
The series ran from October 31, 19 ...
'' in 1983 and 1984.
''The Tonight Show''
Starting in 1986, Leno was a regular substitute host for
Johnny Carson
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...
on ''
The Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...
''. In 1992, he replaced Carson as host amid controversy with
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, and auto racing team owner. He hosted late-night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982, debut of ''Late N ...
, who had been hosting ''Late Night with David Letterman'' since 1982 (which aired after ''The Tonight Show''), and whom many—including Carson himself—expected to be Carson's successor. The story of this turbulent transition became the basis of
a book and
a movie
''A Movie'' (styled as ''A MOVIE'') is a 1958 experimental collage film by American artist Bruce Conner. It combines pieces of found footage taken from various sources such as newsreels, soft-core pornography, and B movies, all set to a score f ...
. Leno continued to perform as a stand-up comedian throughout his ''Tonight Show'' tenure. In 1988, he received a contract extension with NBC itself. The July 1995 episode of ''The Tonight Show'' which featured an interview with
Hugh Grant
Hugh John Mungo Grant (born 9 September 1960) is an English actor. He established himself early in his career as a charming and vulnerable romantic leading man, and has since transitioned into a character actor. He has received List of awards ...
(who had been arrested for receiving oral sex in a public place from a prostitute) saw Leno rate higher than Letterman for the first time.
In 2004, Leno signed a contract extension with
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
to retain him as host of ''The Tonight Show'' until 2009. Later in 2004,
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, actor, and producer. He is best known for having hosted Late-night talk show, late-night talk shows, beginning with ''Late Night with Conan O'B ...
signed a contract with NBC to become the show's host in 2009, replacing Leno at that time.
During the
2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike
From November 5, 2007, to February 12, 2008, all 12,000 film and television screenwriters of the American labor union Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), and West (WGAW) went on strike.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike primarily so ...
, Leno was accused of violating WGA guidelines by writing his own monologue for ''The Tonight Show''. NBC and Leno claimed there were private meetings with the WGA where a secret agreement was reached allowing this; the WGA denied such meetings. Leno answered questions in front of the
Writers Guild of America, West
The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) is a labor union representing film, television, radio, and new media writers. It was formed in 1954 from five organizations representing writers, including the Screen Writers Guild. It has around 20,000 m ...
trial committee in February 2009 and June 2009, and when the WGAW published its list of
strikebreaker
A strikebreaker (sometimes pejoratively called a scab, blackleg, bootlicker, blackguard or knobstick) is a person who works despite an ongoing strike. Strikebreakers may be current employees ( union members or not), or new hires to keep the orga ...
s on August 11, 2009, Leno was not on it.
On April 23, 2009, Leno checked himself in to a hospital with an undisclosed illness. He was released the following day and returned to work on Monday, April 27. The two subsequently canceled ''Tonight Show'' episodes for April 23 and 24 were his first in 17 years as host.
The illness was not initially disclosed, but Leno later told
''People'' magazine that it was for exhaustion.
Michael Jackson trial
During the
2005 trial of Michael Jackson over allegations of
child molestation
Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...
, Leno was one of a few celebrities who appeared as defense witnesses. In his testimony regarding a phone conversation with the accuser, Leno testified that he was not asked for any money and there did not appear to be any coaching — but the calls seemed unusual and scripted.

As a result, Leno was initially not allowed to tell jokes about Jackson or the case, which had been a fixture of ''The Tonight Show''s opening monologue in particular. But he and his show's writers used a legal loophole by having Leno briefly step aside while stand-in comedians took the stage and told jokes about the trial. These stand-ins included
Roseanne Barr
Roseanne Cherrie Barr (born November 3, 1952), also known mononymously as Roseanne, is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She began her career in stand-up comedy before gaining acclaim in the television sitcom ''Roseanne'' (19 ...
,
Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actor and game show host. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey gained stardom in his own Situa ...
,
Brad Garrett
Brad H. Gerstenfeld (born April 14, 1960), known professionally as Brad Garrett, is an American actor and stand-up comedian.
Garrett was initially successful as a stand-up comedian in the early 1980s. Taking advantage of that success in the la ...
and
Dennis Miller
Dennis Michael Miller (born November 3, 1953) is an American political commentator, stand-up comedian, talk show host, writer, actor and former sportscaster.
Miller was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' fro ...
. The gag order was challenged, and the court ruled that Leno could continue telling jokes about the trial as long as he did not discuss his testimony. Leno celebrated by devoting an entire monologue to Michael Jackson jokes.
Succession by Conan O'Brien; ''The Jay Leno Show''
Because Leno's show continued to lead all late-night programming in the
Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, the pending expiration of his contract led to speculation about whether he would become a late-night host for another network when his commitment to NBC expired. He left ''The Tonight Show'' on Friday, May 29, 2009, and Conan O'Brien took over on June 1, 2009.
On December 8, 2008, it was reported that Leno would remain on NBC and move to a new hour-long show at 10 p.m. Eastern Time (9 p.m. Central Time) five nights a week. It would follow a similar format to ''The Tonight Show'', be recorded in the same studio, and retain many of Leno's most popular segments, while O'Brien continued to host ''The'' ''Tonight Show''.
Leno's new show, ''The Jay Leno Show'', debuted on September 14, 2009. It was announced at the
Television Critics Association
The Television Critics Association (TCA) is a group of approximately 200 American and Canadian television critics, journalists and columnists who cover television programming for newspapers, magazines and web publications. The TCA accepts appli ...
summer press tour that it would feature one or two celebrities, occasional musical guests, and keep the popular "Headlines" segments, which would be near the end of the show. First guests included
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playing a semi-fictionalized version ...
,
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...
(via satellite), and a short sit-down with
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
discussing his controversy at the
2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2008 to June 2009, were presented on September 13, 2009, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and televised by MTV. The ceremony was ...
, which had occurred the night before.
Timeslot conflict and return to ''The Tonight Show''
In their new roles, neither O'Brien nor Leno succeeded in delivering the viewing audiences the network anticipated. On January 7, 2010, multiple media outlets reported that beginning March 1, 2010, Leno would move from his 10 p.m. weeknight time slot to 11:35 p.m., due to a combination of pressure from local affiliates, whose newscasts were suffering, and both Leno's and O'Brien's poor ratings.
Leno's show would be shortened from an hour to 30 minutes. All NBC late night programming would also be preempted by the
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
between February 15 and 26, moving ''The Tonight Show'' to 12:05 a.m., the first post-midnight timeslot in its history. O'Brien's contract stipulated that NBC could move the show ahead to 12:05 a.m. without penalty (a clause included primarily to accommodate sports preemptions).
On January 10, NBC confirmed that it would move Leno out of primetime as of February 12 and move him to late-night as soon as possible.
TMZ
''TMZ'' is an American entertainment-focused tabloid news organization owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested ...
reported that O'Brien was given no advance notice of this change, and that NBC offered him two choices: an hour-long 12:05 a.m. time slot, or the option to leave the network.
On January 12, O'Brien issued a press release that he would not continue with ''Tonight'' if it moved to a 12:05 a.m. time slot,
saying, "I believe that delaying ''The Tonight Show'' into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. ''The Tonight Show'' at 12:05 simply isn't ''The Tonight Show.''"
On January 21, it was announced that NBC had struck a deal with O'Brien: He would leave ''The Tonight Show,'' receive a $33-million payout, and his staff of almost 200 would receive $12 million in the departure. His final episode aired on Friday, January 22, 2010. Leno returned as host of ''The Tonight Show'' following the
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
on March 1, 2010.
On July 1, 2010, ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' reported that total viewership for Leno's ''Tonight Show'' had dropped from 5 million to 4 million for the second quarter of 2010, compared to the same period in 2009. Although it represented the show's lowest second-quarter ratings since 1992, ''Tonight'' was still the most-watched late-night program, ahead of
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
's ''
Nightline
''Nightline'' (or ''ABC News Nightline'') is ABC News (United States), ABC News' Late night television in the United States, late-night television news program broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC in the United States with a franchis ...
'' (3.7 million) and ''
Late Show with David Letterman
''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production com ...
'' (3.3 million).
Announcement of successor
On April 3, 2013, NBC announced that Leno would leave ''The Tonight Show'' in spring 2014, with
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an Americans, American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer. Best known for his work in television, Fallon's breakthrough came during his tenure as a cast member on the ...
as his designated successor.
Leno's final show as the host of ''The Tonight Show'' was on February 6, 2014, with guests
Billy Crystal
William Edward Crystal (born March 14, 1948)On page 17 of his book ''700 Sundays'', Crystal displays his birth announcement, which gives his first two names as "William Edward", not "William Jacob" is an American comedian, actor, and filmmaker. ...
(who was the first guest on the first version of Leno's show), musical guest
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...
, and surprise guests
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob "Jack" Black (born August 28, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is known for roles in family and comedy films, in addition to his voice work in animated films. His awards include a Children's and Family Emmy ...
,
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel Kardashian (born October 21, 1980) is an American media personality, socialite, and businesswoman. She first gained media attention as a friend and stylist of Paris Hilton, but received wider notice after the celebrity sex tape ...
,
Jim Parsons
James Joseph Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor. From 2007 to 2019, Parsons played Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom ''The Big Bang Theory''. He has received various awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstandin ...
,
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. She is noted for her Optimism, optimistic and Idealism, idealistic subject matter, and incorporation of genres including Rock music, rock, Po ...
,
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul (born May 6, 1985), nicknamed "CP3" and "the Point God", is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Regarded by some as one of the greatest p ...
,
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American comedian, actress, singer and writer. Burnett has played dramatic and comedic roles on stage and screen. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Carol Burnett, nu ...
and Oprah Winfrey.
After ''The Tonight Show''
Leno has maintained an active schedule as a touring stand-up comedian, doing an average of 200 live performances a year in venues across the United States and Canada
and at charity events and
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
tours.
[ He has also appeared on the '']Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Tonight may refer to:
Television
* ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC
* ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
'' and ''Late Night with Seth Meyers
''Late Night with Seth Meyers'' is an American late-night news and political satire variety talk show hosted by Seth Meyers on NBC. The show premiered on February 24, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. Airing w ...
,'' and was a guest on the finale of ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the The Late Late Show (American talk show), ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airi ...
.''[ He appeared in a cameo role drilling and tormenting ]James Corden
James Kimberley Corden (born 22 August 1978) is an English comedian, actor, writer, producer, singer, and television host. In the United Kingdom, he is best known for co-writing and starring in the critically acclaimed BBC sitcom '' Gavin & S ...
in a facetious boot camp for talk-show hosts on the premiere of ''The Late Late Show with James Corden
''The Late Late Show with James Corden'' (also known simply as ''Late Late'') is an American late-night talk show that aired on CBS from 2015 to 2023. It is the fourth and final iteration of '' The Late Late Show'', and aired in the United Sta ...
''. He declined an invitation to appear on ''Late Show with David Letterman'' despite speculation he would appear on the show's finale in 2015, although he had appeared with Letterman along with Winfrey in a ''Late Show'' commercial airing during Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champions New Orleans Saints and the American Football Conference (AFC) champions Indianapolis Colts to decide the National Football League (NFL) c ...
in 2010.
Leno hosted a one-hour ''Jay Leno's Garage
''Jay Leno's Garage'' is an American web and former television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars and motorbikes starring Jay Leno, the former host of ''The Tonight Show''. Originally a web series for NBC.com, a special aired on CNBC in ...
'' special on CNBC
CNBC is an American List of business news channels, business news channel owned by the NBCUniversal News Group, a unit of Comcast's NBCUniversal. The network broadcasts live business news and analysis programming during the morning, Day ...
in 2014, and the show returned as a primetime series on the cable channel from 2015 until 2022. The series was canceled in January 2023 after seven seasons due to a decision by the channel to re-emphasize business-oriented programming.
Leno also had a recurring role in the Tim Allen comedy series '' Last Man Standing'' since season 5, playing a mechanic, Joe Leonard, in a store operated by Allen's character, Mike Baxter.
Leno hosted the third revival of the game show ''You Bet Your Life
''You Bet Your Life'' is an American comedy quiz series that has aired on both radio[picket line
A picket line is a horizontal rope
A rope is a group of yarns, Plying, plies, fibres, or strands that are plying, twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have high tensile strength and can be used for dragging and ...](_blank)
during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike
From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on Strike action, strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Lasting 148 days, ...
, after Fox First Run offered stations two other syndicated game shows to fill ''You Bet Your Lifes timeslot during the strike, instead of reruns.
Leno also does voice acting, such as The Crimson Chin on ''The Fairly OddParents
''The Fairly OddParents'' is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon. The series follows the adventures of Timmy Turner, a 10-year-old boy with two Fairy godmother, fairy godparents named List of The Fai ...
'' from 2001 to 2016 and Billy Beagle of ''Mickey and the Roadster Racers
''Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures'' is an American animated children's television series that was broadcast on Disney Junior. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series is the successor to ''Mickey Mouse Clubhouse''. Originally airing ...
''.
In 2019, Leno was a guest judge on season 14 of ''America's Got Talent
''America's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated as ''AGT'') is an American talent show competition, and is part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. The program is produced by Fremantle (as well as distributed by) and ...
'' where he pressed the Golden Buzzer for opera singer Emanne Beasha
Emanne Beasha (; Circassian: Иман Биша; born 18 September 2008) is a Jordanian-American classically-trained singer. She is the winner of the fifth season of the program '' Arabs Got Talent'' and finished in ninth place on the fourteent ...
.
In 2023, Leno returned to NBC to appear as a celebrity guest judge on the two-episode season finale of '' Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge''.
Public image
Criticism
Leno has faced criticism for his perceived role in the 2010 ''Tonight Show'' conflict.["Why Some Comics Aren't Laughing at Jay Leno"](_blank)
. ''The Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...
'' Critics have cited a 2004 ''Tonight Show'' clip where Leno said he would allow O'Brien to take over without incident. At the time, Leno said he did not want O'Brien to leave for a competing network, adding, "I'll be 59 when he switch occurs
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads
* He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English
* He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana)
* Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...
That's five years from now. There's really only one person who could have done this into his 60s, and that was Johnny Carson
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...
; I think it's fair to say I'm no Johnny Carson." Leno also described ''The Tonight Show'' as a dynasty
A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others.
H ...
, saying, "You hold it and hand it off to the next person. And I don't want to see all the fighting." At the end of the segment, he said, "Conan, it's yours! See you in five years, buddy!"
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann O'Donnell (born March 21, 1962) is an American talk show host, comedian, and actress. She began her comedy career as a teenager and received her breakthrough on the television series ''Star Search'' in 1984. After a series of television ...
was among O'Brien's most vehement supporters, calling Leno a "bully" and his actions "classless and kind of career-defining".["Rosie O'Donnell Has More to Say About Jay Leno"](_blank)
. ''Vulture''. January 20, 2010. Retrieved February 19, 2022 Bill Zehme, the co-author of Leno's autobiography ''Leading with My Chin'', told the ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'', "The thing Leno should do is walk, period. He's got everything to lose in terms of public popularity by going back. People will look at him differently. He'll be viewed as the bad guy."["Taking on America's 'nice guy](_blank)
. ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''. p. 2.
In 2009, Leno received criticism for asking rapper Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
how his recently deceased mother, Donda West
Donda Clairann West ( Williams; July 12, 1949 – November 10, 2007) was an American educator and chair of Chicago State University's Department of English, Communications, Media, and Theater. She was best known for being the mother of American ...
, would have felt about the incident at the 2009 VMAs, causing West to begin crying live on air.
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern (born January 12, 1954) is an American broadcaster and media personality. He is best known for his radio show, ''The Howard Stern Show'', which gained popularity when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from 1 ...
has also been a critic of Leno before and following his ''Tonight Show'' timeslot-change announcement;["Rosie O'Donnell Slams Jay Leno (Part 1 of 2)"](_blank)
; YouTube
YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
; January 14, 2010 Stern appeared on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' in 2006 and said he felt it was unlikely that Leno would ever willingly give up ''The Tonight Show''. During the conflict, Stern made many negative remarks about Leno as a guest on ''Late Show with David Letterman''.
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian Kimmel (born November 13, 1967), known professionally as Jimmy Kimmel, is an American television host, comedian, writer, voice actor, and producer. He has been the host and executive producer of '' Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', a late-n ...
discussed his appearance on Leno's show during an interview with Marc Maron
Marc David Maron (born September 27, 1963) is an American stand-up comedian, podcaster, writer, actor, and musician.
In the 1990s and 2000s, Maron was a frequent guest on the ''Late Show with David Letterman'' and appeared more than forty times ...
for the latter's podcast
A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...
in 2012. Kimmel stated that he felt O'Brien was not given a proper chance, but that he was also motivated by his own history with Leno. According to Kimmel, Leno had some years prior been in serious discussions with ABC about the possibility of jumping ship from NBC. During this period, Leno initiated a friendship with Kimmel, wanting to ensure that they would be on good terms if the move was made. (Under that scenario, Leno would have taken Kimmel's time slot and become his lead-in.) However, after Leno made the arrangement to remain at NBC, "those conversations were gone", according to Kimmel. Realizing that Leno's relationship with him had been artificial, Kimmel felt "worked over", reasoning that Leno was using the ABC discussions as a bargaining tactic to try to get his old job back.
John Oliver
John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British and American comedian who hosts ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' on HBO. He started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom and came to wider attention for his work ...
has also criticized Leno for his coverage of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal on ''The Tonight Show'' in an episode on public shaming
Public humiliation or public shaming is a form of punishment whose main feature is dishonoring or disgracing a person, usually an offender or a prisoner, especially in a public place. It was regularly used as a form of judicially sanctioned puni ...
.
Leno has also been criticized for the perceived change in the content of his monologues from his previous stand-up material. Actor and comedian Patton Oswalt
Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His acting roles include Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–2023) as adult ...
was among the celebrities who openly voiced disappointment with Leno, saying, "Comedians who don't like Jay Leno now, and I'm one of them, we're not like, 'Jay Leno sucks'; it's that we're so hurt and disappointed that one of the best comedians of our generation ... willfully has shut the switch off."
In August 2020, Leno faced criticism for expressing support for Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres ( ; born January 26, 1958) is an American former comedian, actress, television host, writer, and producer.
She began her career in stand-up comedy in the early 1980s, gaining national attention with a 1986 appearance on '' ...
despite a workplace investigation into toxic behavior and sexual misconduct and harassment claims against producers of ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
''.
Support for Leno
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is an American programming division for NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, that is responsible for sports broadcasts on their broadcast network NBC, the Cable television, cable channels NBC owns, and on Peacock (streaming service) ...
chairman and former ''Saturday Night Live
''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' producer Dick Ebersol
Duncan Richard Ebersol (; born July 28, 1947) is an American television executive and a senior adviser for NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. He had previously been the chairman of NBC Sports, producing large-scale television events such as the ...
spoke out against all who had criticized Leno, calling them "chicken-hearted and gutless".["Taking on America's 'nice guy](_blank)
. ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''. Jeff Gaspin, then chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment, also defended Leno, saying, "This has definitely crossed the line. Jay Leno is the consummate professional and one of the hardest-working people in television. It's a shame that he's being pulled into this." Fellow comedians Paul Reiser
Paul Reiser (; born March 30, 1956) is an American actor, comedian, and writer. He played the roles of Michael Taylor in the 1980s sitcom ''My Two Dads'', Paul Buchman in the NBC sitcom ''Mad About You'', Modell in the 1982 film ''Diner (1982 f ...
, Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playing a semi-fictionalized version ...
and Jim Norton (a frequent contributor to ''The Tonight Show'') also voiced support for Leno.
Responding to the mounting criticism, Leno said NBC had assured him that O'Brien was willing to accept the proposed arrangement and that they would not let either host out of his contract. He also said that the situation was "all business", and that all of the decisions were made by NBC. He appeared on the January 28, 2010 episode of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show
''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
'' in an attempt to repair some of the damage done to his public image.
Influences
Leno's comedic influences include Johnny Carson
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, and writer best known as the host of NBC's ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson is a cultural phenomenon and w ...
, Robert Klein
Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is an American stand-up comedian, singer, and actor. He is known for his appearances on stage and screen. He has released four standup comedy albums: ''A Child of the 50s'' (1973), ''Mind Over Matter'' (1974 ...
, Alan King
Alan King (born Irwin Alan Kniberg; December 26, 1927 – May 9, 2004) was an American comedian, actor and satirist known for his biting wit and often angry humorous rants. He was also a serious actor who appeared in a number of films and televi ...
, David Brenner
David Norris Brenner (February 4, 1936 – March 15, 2014) was an American stand-up comedian, actor and author. The most frequent guest on ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' in the 1970s and 1980s, Brenner "was a pioneer of observ ...
, Mort Sahl
Morton Lyon Sahl (May 11, 1927 – October 26, 2021) was a Canadian-born American comedian, actor, and social Satire, satirist, considered the first modern comedian. He pioneered a style of social satire that pokes fun at political and current e ...
, George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author. Regarded as one of the greatest and most influential comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercultur ...
, Don Rickles
Donald Jay Rickles (May 8, 1926 – April 6, 2017) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He was known primarily for his insult comedy. His film roles include ''Run Silent, Run Deep (film), Run Silent, Run Deep'' (1958), ''Enter Laughing ...
, Bob Newhart
George Robert Newhart (September 5, 1929 – July 18, 2024) was an American comedian and actor. Newhart was known for his deadpan and stammering delivery style. Beginning his career as a stand-up comedian, he transitioned his career to acting in ...
, and Rodney Dangerfield
Jack Roy (born Jacob Cohen; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), better known by the stage name Rodney Dangerfield, was an American stand-up comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating one-liner humor, ...
.
Dennis Miller
Dennis Michael Miller (born November 3, 1953) is an American political commentator, stand-up comedian, talk show host, writer, actor and former sportscaster.
Miller was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' fro ...
and Jerry Seinfeld
Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. As a stand-up comedian, Seinfeld specializes in observational comedy. Seinfeld gained stardom playing a semi-fictionalized version ...
have credited Leno as their inspiration.
Personal life
Leno has been married to Mavis Leno
Mavis Elizabeth Nicholson Leno (born September 5, 1946) is an American activist and philanthropist, and wife of Jay Leno, the former host of ''The Tonight Show''.
Leno keeps a low profile in comparison to her husband, choosing instead to work beh ...
since 1980. In 1993, during his first season as host of ''The Tonight Show
''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...
'', Leno's mother died at the age of 82; and the next year, his father died at 84. Leno's older brother, Patrick, a Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
veteran and graduate of Yale Law School
Yale Law School (YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824. The 2020–21 acceptance rate was 4%, the lowest of any law school in the United ...
, died of cancer in 2002 at the age of 62. In 2024, it was disclosed that Mavis Leno was suffering from an advanced form of dementia
Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
when the Los Angeles Superior Court granted Jay Leno conservatorship of the couple's joint estate as she experiences periods of disorientation and at times does not know who her husband is or her own date of birth.
Leno is known for his prominent jaw, which has been described as mandibular prognathism
Prognathism is a positional relationship of the Human mandible, mandible or maxilla to the skeletal base where either of the jaws protrudes beyond a predetermined imaginary line in the coronal plane of the skull.
In the case of ''mandibular'' ...
. In the book ''Leading with My Chin'', he says he was aware of surgery that could reset his mandible, but that he did not wish to endure a prolonged healing period with his jaws wired shut.
Leno is dyslexic
Dyslexia (), previously known as word blindness, is a learning disability that affects either reading or writing. Different people are affected to different degrees. Problems may include difficulties in spelling words, reading quickly, writ ...
.[Carter, Bill.]
Pushed From Late Night, Leno Is Set for Prime Time
" ''The New York Times'', September 12, 2009. He claims to need only four or five hours of sleep each night. He does not consume alcohol, smoke
Smoke is an aerosol (a suspension of airborne particulates and gases) emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwante ...
, or gamble
Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three elem ...
. He spends much of his free time visiting car collections and working in his private garage.
Leno has claimed that he has not spent any of the money he earned from ''The Tonight Show,'' but lives off his money from his stand-up routines. He reportedly earned $32 million in 2005. In 2014, he received an Honorary
An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include:
* Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States
* Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germany ...
Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Emerson College
Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...
, where he also delivered the commencement speech
In the United States, a commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, although the term is also used for secondary education institutions and in similar institutions around the ...
. He also received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Academy of Art University
The Academy of Art University (AAU, or ART U), formerly Academy of Art College and Richard Stephens Academy of Art, is a private for-profit art school in San Francisco, California. It was founded as the Academy of Advertising Art by Richard S. ...
in 2021.
On November 12, 2022, Leno suffered "serious burns" to his face and hands when a vehicle at his Los Angeles garage burst into flames. As part of the treatment, he received a "new ear". On January 17, 2023, he sustained multiple broken bones after falling off a motorcycle. On November 16, 2024, Leno had broken his right wrist, including tearing the fingernail off his right index finger, and sustained several bruises on his left side acquiring a periorbital hematoma after he accidentally tripped while walking to go have dinner at Dino's Sports Lounge outside the Hampton Inn
Hampton by Hilton, formerly (and still commonly called) Hampton Inn or Hampton Inn & Suites, is an American chain of hotels trademarked by Hilton Worldwide. The Hampton hotel brand is a chain of moderately priced, budget to midscale limited serv ...
in Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The population was 14,976 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located southeast of Pittsburgh, Greensburg is a part of the Greater Pittsbu ...
causing him to roll straight down a hill landing on the curb.
Charity
In 2001, he and his wife donated $100,000 to the Feminist Majority Foundation
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) is an American non-profit organization headquartered in Arlington County, Virginia, whose stated mission is to advance non-violence and women's power, equality, and economic development. The name Feminist Maj ...
's campaign to stop gender apartheid
Gender apartheid (also called sexual apartheid or sex apartheid) is the economic and social sexual discrimination, sexual discrimination against individuals because of their gender or sex. It is a system enforced by using either physical or legal ...
in Afghanistan, to educate the public regarding the plight of women in Afghanistan under Taliban
, leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders
, leader1_name = {{indented plainlist,
* Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013)
* Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016)
* Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...
rule. Mavis Leno is on the board of the Feminist Majority.
In 2009, he donated $100,000 to a scholarship fund at Salem State College
Salem State University (Salem State or SSU) is a public university in Salem, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1854, it is the oldest and largest institute of higher education on the North Shore (Massachusetts), North Shore and is p ...
(now Salem State University) in honor of Lennie Sogoloff
Leonard Sogoloff (November 24, 1923 - July 12, 2014) was a music club owner and jazz aficionado who owned and ran Lennie's on the Turnpike, a jazz club located on Route One North in Peabody, Massachusetts, from the mid-1950s to 1972. The Peabod ...
, who gave Leno his start at his jazz club, Lennie's-on-the-Turnpike.
In August 2012, Leno auctioned his Fiat 500
The Fiat 500 (, ) is an Economy car, economy / city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 until 1975. It was sold as a two-door semi-convertible or saloon car and as a three-door panel van or estate car.
Launched ...
, which was sold for $385,000 with all the proceeds going to a charity that helps wounded war veterans recover by providing them with temporary housing.
, Leno sponsored two scholarships at McPherson College
McPherson College is a private college associated with the Church of the Brethren and located in McPherson, Kansas, United States. It was chartered in 1887 and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
History
During their 1887 annual m ...
.
Love Ride
Since 1985, Leno has been the Grand Marshal for the Love Ride
The Love Ride was a charity motorcycle ride held annually in Southern California and in Switzerland. Its organizers bill it as "The Largest One-Day Motorcycle Fund-Raising Event in the World".
The American Love Ride was active between 1985 and 20 ...
, a motorcycle charity event which since its founding in 1984 has raised nearly $14 million for charities benefiting muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases that cause progressive weakness and breakdown of skeletal muscles over time. The disorders differ as to which muscles are primarily affe ...
research, Autism Speaks
Autism Speaks Inc. is an American non-profit autism awareness organization and the largest autism research organization in the United States. It sponsors autism research and conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governm ...
, and in 2001, the September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
recovery.
Vehicle collection
Leno owns an extensive collection of vehicles, including at least 181 cars and 160 motorcycles as of late 2024. He also has a website and a TV program called ''Jay Leno's Garage
''Jay Leno's Garage'' is an American web and former television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars and motorbikes starring Jay Leno, the former host of ''The Tonight Show''. Originally a web series for NBC.com, a special aired on CNBC in ...
'', which contains video clips and photos of his car collection in detail, as well as other vehicles of interest to him. Leno's garage manager is Bernard Juchli. Among his collection are two Doble steam car
The Doble steam car was an American steam car maker from 1909 to 1931. Its latter models of steam car, with fast-firing boiler and electric start,
were considered the pinnacle of steam car development. The term "Doble steam car" comprises any ...
s, a sedan and a roadster that were owned by Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24, 1905 – April 5, 1976) was an American Aerospace engineering, aerospace engineer, business magnate, film producer, and investor. He was The World's Billionaires, one of the richest and most influential peo ...
, the fifth Duesenberg Model X known to survive, and one of nine remaining 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car
The Chrysler Turbine Car is an experimental two-door hardtop coupé, coupe powered by a gas turbine, turbine engine and was manufactured by Chrysler Corporation, Chrysler from 1963 to 1964. Italian design studio Carrozzeria Ghia constructed the ...
s. The collection also includes three antique electric car
An electric car or electric vehicle (EV) is a passenger car, passenger automobile that is propelled by an electric motor, electric traction motor, using electrical energy as the primary source of propulsion. The term normally refers to a p ...
s — the 1909 Baker Motor Vehicle
Baker Motor Vehicle Company was an American manufacturer of Brass Era car, Brass Era electric vehicle, electric automobiles in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1899 to 1914. It was founded by Walter C. Baker.
History
The first Baker vehicle was a two ...
is his wife Mavis's favorite car. The collection includes at least two tanks. The most expensive car in the collection is a 1994 McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a sports car that was the first Motor vehicle type approval, type approved road-going sportscar manufactured by British Formula One team McLaren. It was the last road-legal, series-produced sportscar to win the 24 Hours of Le ...
sports car, the first McLaren to be imported to the US, which Leno says he purchased for approximately $800 thousand in the late 1990s, and is worth at least $20 million today. The value of the entire collection is at least $52 million.
He has a regular column in ''Popular Mechanics
''Popular Mechanics'' (often abbreviated as ''PM'' or ''PopMech'') is a magazine of popular science and technology, featuring automotive, home, outdoor, electronics, science, do it yourself, and technology topics. Military topics, aviation an ...
'' which showcases his car collection and gives advice about various automotive topics, including restoration and unique models, such as his jet-powered motorcycle and solar-powered hybrid. Leno also writes occasional "Motormouth" articles for ''The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...
'', reviewing high-end sports cars and giving his humorous take on motoring matters.
Leno opened his garage to Team Bondi
Team Bondi Pty. Limited ( ) was an Australian video game developer based in Sydney. The company was founded by creative director Brendan McNamara, formerly of Team Soho, in 2003. The studio's first and only title, the action-adventure game ''L. ...
, the company that developed the 2011 video game '' L.A. Noire'', which is set in Los Angeles in the late-1940s. Leno's collection contains almost 100 cars from this period, and allowed the team to create their images as accurately as possible.
Politics
Hosting the 2014 Genesis Prize award ceremony in Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
, Leno made jokes mocking then-President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
and then-Secretary of State John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
, accusing Obama of "trying to break" the U.S.'s relationship with Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
.
In a 2015 interview with ''The Jerusalem Post
''The Jerusalem Post'' is an English language, English-language Israeli broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, Israel, founded in 1932 during the Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate of Mandatory Palestine, Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''Th ...
'', Leno said, "I always considered Israel
Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
as not only the only democracy in the Middle East, I think it's the purest, because every Israeli voter seems to have his own political party." He also added about Israel's relations with other Middle Eastern countries
The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq.
The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
: "Israel is so efficient in defending itself and so good at it, that to the rest of the world it looks like bullying."
In a 2024 interview on ''Piers Morgan Uncensored
''Piers Morgan Uncensored'' is a talk show presented by Piers Morgan, that is distributed on YouTube. It was originally broadcast on TalkTV (now known as Talk), weeknights at 8 pm in the UK from 25 April 2022 until 8 February 2024. It was al ...
'', Leno said that he is "not a fan" of then-former President Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
. Of President Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...
, Leno said: "I like him. I think he's a good guy. And, you know, the economy's doing pretty good!"
Filmography
Awards and nominations
Books
* Leno, Jay. ''Headlines: Real but Ridiculous Headlines from America's Newspapers''. 1989.
* Leno, Jay. ''More Headlines''. 1990.
* Leno, Jay. ''Headlines III: Not the Movie, Still the Book''. 1991.
* Leno, Jay. ''Headlines IV: The Next Generation''. 1992.
* Leno, Jay. ''Jay Leno's Police Blotter: Real-Life Crime Headlines''. 1994.
* Leno, Jay (with Bill Zehme). ''Leading With My Chin''. 1996 (autobiography).
* Leno, Jay (with S. B. Whitehead-Illustrator). ''Jay Leno: If Roast Beef Could Fly''. 2004 (children' book).
* Leno, Jay (with S. B. Whitehead-Illustrator). ''How to Be the Funniest Kid in the Whole Wide World (or Just in Your Class)''. 2005 (children' book).
References
External links
''Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' episodes
''Jay Leno's Garage'' (NBC)
An interview with Jay Leno
, ''Totalcar'' magazine
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20070616180640/http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/Toyota_Concert_Series/bands/index.shtml Live performance videos from the ''Tonight Show''*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leno, Jay
1950 births
Living people
20th-century American comedians
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American comedians
21st-century American male actors
American car collectors
American male comedians
American male film actors
American male television actors
American male television writers
American male voice actors
American people of Italian descent
American people of Scottish descent
American stand-up comedians
American television writers
Bentley University alumni
Burn survivors
Comedians from Massachusetts
Comedians from New York (state)
Emerson College alumni
Las Vegas shows
Late night television talk show hosts
Male actors from New Rochelle, New York
Mark Twain Prize recipients
People from Andover, Massachusetts
Television presenters with dyslexia
Primetime Emmy Award winners
Screenwriters from Massachusetts
Screenwriters from New York (state)
Television personalities from New Rochelle, New York
Television producers from New York (state)
YouTubers from Massachusetts
YouTubers from New York (state)