Jay Leno

Jay Leno
Jay Leno in 2005
Birth name	James Douglas Muir Leno
Born	(1950-04-28) April 28, 1950 New Rochelle, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Years active	1973–present
Genres	Observational comedy
Subject(s)	everyday life, American culture
Spouse	Mavis Nicholson Leno (1980—present)
Notable works and roles	Host of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC)
Website	The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno (born April 28, 1950) is an Emmy Award-winning American stand-up comedian and television host, who succeeded Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show in 1992. Leno will continue to host The Tonight Show until May 29, 2009. Late Night host Conan O'Brien is his scheduled replacement as host.

Biography

Leno was born in New Rochelle, New York. His mother, Catherine (née Muir), a homemaker, was born in Greenock, Scotland, and came to the United States as an eleven year-old. Her schooling was limited and as a result she prized her children's education. His father, Angelo Leno, who worked in the insurance business, was born in New York to immigrants from Flumeri, Italy. Leno grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, and though his high school guidance counselor recommended he drop out of high school he not only graduated but went on to receive a bachelor's degree in speech therapy from Emerson College, in 1973. Leno's siblings include his late brother Patrick, who was a veteran.

As he was growing up he used to say that he would take over Johnny Carson's job, which he eventually did. Early in his career Leno did commercials for Doritos brand tortilla chips. In the late 1970s, he was the warm-up act for Johnny Mathis, Tom Jones and John Denver. He replaced Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show in 1992. He plans to retire from the show in 2009, to be replaced by Conan O'Brien. During an August 1, 2007 interview with CNN journalist Anderson Cooper on The Tonight Show, Jay Leno confirmed that he is dyslexic.

Though married for many years, he has no children, as mentioned in his July 9, 2008, interview with Aaron Eckhart.

Acting, cameos and voice overs

Leno is not widely known as an actor, but he did have a number of small roles early in his career in mostly unsuccessful movies; an exception was a bit part in the more popular film American Hot Wax. His most prominent role was in the 1989 film Collision Course, a comedy about a mismatched crime fighting pair, in which he played a detective opposite Pat Morita. When Steve Martin appeared on Leno's "The Tonight Show" in December 2005, a clip from the movie appeared during Martin's game of "Name That Clip". The last clip played was from Collision Course, which Leno immediately said was "a horrible movie."

Leno also appeared in a 1975 episode of the television series Good Times, in which he plays a character in the waiting room of a public clinic, and as one of the "pool guys" in the original 1977 version of Fun with Dick and Jane. He appeared on other TV shows such as Laverne & Shirley and Alice. In 1986, Leno hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live in its 11th season (musical guest: The Neville Brothers).

Since becoming the host of the Tonight Show, Leno made a number of cameo appearances, usually appearing as a talk show host or making fun of his famous chin (due to mandibular prognathism). In 1993, Leno played the voice of the alien "Vorb" in the animated film We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story. In 1994, he played "Bedrock's Most Wanted Host," along with Cynthia Clemons, in the live-action comedy film The Flintstones. Also in 1994, he played himself in Major League II which starred Charlie Sheen. He also appeared as himself in an episode of Baywatch, in which Mitch (David Hasselhoff's character) saves him from choking to death. In 1996, Leno appeared on NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street as himself trying to get a drink in a Baltimore bar.

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Jay Leno's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1998, Leno made a series of appearances in conjunction with World Championship Wrestling as part of the nWo storyline. WCW executive (and nWo-executive in storylines) Eric Bischoff began a version of The Tonight Show on WCW Monday Nitro that he called "Nightcap", which featured much-maligned segments often including jokes at Leno's expense. Leno would respond with segments at the end of his monologue involving a short, old midget version of Hogan, whom he would make fun of. The storyline came to a head on The Tonight Show, where Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Bischoff appeared and attempted to "take over" the show after the last of the "old midget Hogan" segments, kicking Leno and Eubanks offstage prior to a commercial break. Diamond Dallas Page came to Leno's aid following the commercial break, and recruited Leno for a tag team match. The stipulations of the match were that if Leno wins, Bischoff ends Nightcap, but if Leno loses, he hands over The Tonight Show to Bischoff. At WCW Road Wild 1998, Leno and Page defeated Hogan and Bischoff with the help of Kevin Eubanks.

Also in 1998, he made a voice appearance as himself on an episode of The Simpsons titled "The Last Temptation of Krust". On The Simpsons Season 9 Boxset, he also is on the commentary for that episode. Leno also had a cameo in Family Guy in the episode "Patriot Games", trying to kill Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. Leno has made several cameos in the animated series South Park, once as a cat and twice as himself, making fun of his chin. He also made appearances on the sitcoms The Drew Carey Show, Friends, The Nanny, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Titus, Joey, and he plays the "Crimson Chin" on The Fairly OddParents. In 2005, he lent his voice to a talking fire hydrant in the computer animated movie, Robots. He also appeared in the animated series American Dad, where he was killed by main character Stan Smith. He also made a cameo appearance for FOX NFL Sunday in a fictitious interview with prognosticator Frank Caliendo's impression of Terry Bradshaw. In 2006, he provided the voice of an armadillo named "Fast Tony" in Ice Age 2: The Meltdown, and in the Pixar/Disney film Cars he voiced "Jay Limo". He made a cameo appearance in an episode of TV sitcom Just Shoot Me!, in a fictitious interview with David Spade's character, Dennis Finch. He appeared on NBC's The West Wing playing himself at a California fundraiser. He has also appeared on Home Improvement as a mechanic in a wealthy car collector's garage (in reality his own collection).

He has also appeared as himself doing Tonight Show monologues regarding the main characters in the films Mr. 3000, Ed TV, Contact, Juwanna Mann, First Daughter, Dave, John Q, In & Out, Mad City, The Birdcage, The Astronaut Farmer, Underdog and Cars. In the movie Space Cowboys, he hosted a fictional Tonight Show segment featuring four astronauts played by Clint Eastwood, James Garner, Tommy Lee Jones, and Donald Sutherland, who then also appeared together in real life on The Tonight Show to promote the film. He also appears in Wayne's World 2 interviewing Cassandra Wong (Tia Carrere). Leno appeared in the television series Scrubs as himself in one of main character J.D.'s daydreams. He also did several car commercials in the 1980s.

Leno will appear as the voice of titular Hare in The Jim Henson Company's, Unstable Fables: Tortoise vs. Hare, planned for release in Fall 2008.

Comedic/broadcasting style

Leno's comedic style is chiefly observational, with storytelling and topical humor often mixed into his routine. Leno's comedic delivery is usually straightforward and that of a folksy, "everyman" personality. Combining elements of a late-night comedy club and a laid-back talk show, Leno's incarnation of Tonight has proven highly successful in the ratings.

An audience favorite since Leno's hosting of The Tonight Show is his weekly installment Headlines, in which he features unintentionally humorous newspaper articles, advertisements and other printed media that fans mail into the show, especially crime reports, nuptial announcements and menus. Leno has a penchant for media items involving stupid criminals, bad foreign language to English translations for household or food items and especially finds amusement from unhappy looking animals in silly costumes. Leno has highlighted his cat Cheeses dressed up with a limousine driver's cap in past installments. Leno also has authored a series of book collections taken from Headlines, published by Grand Central Publishing.

Another recurring sketch on Leno's Tonight Show is Jaywalking, where Leno asks people off the street some questions regarding current or historical events. Leno frequents the areas just outside the NBC studios such as down Melrose avenue or within Universal Studios Hollywood's City Walk. Radio host Howard Stern has argued that Leno stole the idea of Jaywalking from his program.He often refers to this webpage on his "Tonight Show"

Michael Jackson trial

In the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson over allegations of child molestation, Leno appeared as a defense witness (many celebrity defense witnesses had been expected, but Leno was one of the few who actually testified). Thus Leno was initially not allowed to continue telling 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. Stand-ins included Roseanne Barr, Drew Carey, Brad Garrett, and Dennis Miller, among others.

After NBC challenged the gag order, the judge permitted Leno to make jokes, as long as they were not related to his testimony. After the gag order was lifted, the next show featured a monologue entirely of Michael Jackson jokes.

In his testimony, he was expected to say he called police to say the accuser was coached by his mother to ask for money. Instead, Leno testified he never called the police, no money was asked for, and there was no coaching but that the calls seemed unusual and scripted.

Vehicle collection

Jay Leno in one of his cars (Hispano-Suiza 8 aero engine powered) coming at the 45th Emmy Awards, September 19, 1993, photo by Alan Light

In automobile collecting circles, Jay Leno is known as an avid student, collector and restorer of cars and motorcycles. He has a large antique car and motorcycle collection of various international marques. The collection spans from the early 1900s to the late 1960s. He constantly works on his collection in his spare time. The collection includes an original 1912 Stanley Steamer and a very rare 1964 Studebaker Avanti, as well as classic sports cars like Bugattis. He is also a promoter of the mechanical crafts through a column in Popular Mechanics and his educational activities.

Along with his collection of classic cars he has several high performance cars. These include a 1994 McLaren F1, Porsche Carrera GT, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Ariel Atom, Bugatti Veyron and a custom Corvette C6RS (a modified Z06 built by Pratt & Miller). This Corvette can run on either E-85 Ethanol or gasoline. His EcoJet car runs on bio-diesel fuel. Its engine is a 650 horsepower (480 kW) Honeywell LT-101 turbine. The shell is carbon fiber over Kevlar.

The Blastolene Special is a 21-foot (6.4 m)-long aluminum-bodied roadster powered by a V12 engine from an M47 Patton tank Leno bought from Blastolene Brothers. It was featured in the 2005 racing game Gran Turismo 4, and Monster Garage.

Leno's column in the American magazine Popular Mechanics showcases his extensive car collection. Additionally, Leno uses his column as a platform to give 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 (London), reviewing high end sports cars and giving his humorous take on automotive matters.

Leno's passion for classic cars led him to an affiliation with the Automobile Restoration Department at McPherson College. Today he serves on the National Advisory Board for the college's automotive restoration program and helps fund the Fred Duesenberg Memorial Scholarship.

Leno also has an Internet site called, "Jay Leno's Garage," that lets the public have a look at his private car collection. There is even streaming video and audio on the site where Leno personally profiles one of his cars and all of its features every week, from the engine to, maybe, an odd mirror the car might have.

Leno sometimes takes pieces from his collection on joyrides through parts of the San Fernando Valley surrounding the NBC studios. One stop includes the Burbank Bob's Big Boy restaurant which holds a small gathering of classic/exotic car owners every Friday evening.

Leno also rides motorcycles in his spare time, including an MTT Turbine SUPERBIKE powered by a helicopter turbine and Harley Davidsons. Jay Leno also has an extensive collection of Brough Superior motorcycles which he also rides. Another motorcycles he has been seen riding includes a 1970s era Ducati Super Sport motorcycle.

In 2001, he auctioned off a Harley-Davidson motorcycle signed by his celebrity guests in an effort to help victims of the September 11 attacks. The bike sold for about $360,000. In 2005, he repeated the gesture twice: early in the year to aid victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake — the bike sold for $810,000; and later to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. That bike sold for $1,550,100.

Since 2006 Leno has had his garage work on a biodiesel, turbine powered car in collaboration with GM, the EcoJet concept car.

Criticisms

Article documented mixing up Paul Rodriguez with George Lopez:

On May 3rd, 2007, New York Daily News columnists Rush an Molloy broke a story about Jay Leno seeking to make-up with George Lopez, who had earlier called him a "backstabber" and "the worst interviewer on tv." The man Jay Leno approached at the Laugh Factory memorial for comic Richard Jeni was not George Lopez as Leno thought, but rather another Mexican-American comic, Paul Rodriguez. Paul Rodriguez and a witness confirmed the incident: Rodriguez told us: "I am a little hurt. I've worked with him for going on 30 years. Our families know each other. I thought I was on the inside of Jay's circle. When Letterman was kicking his buns, I told my Latino viewers to support Jay. I don't know what makes people so forgetful. Maybe it's time for Conan to come on [as Leno's replacement]." <http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/rush_molloy/2007/05/03/2007-05-03_comedian_feels_hurt_by_latin_flubber_len.html>

Controversial jokes about Mexican Immigrants atributed to Jay Leno include:

"The Associated Press says that many of the Mexican people in Mexico are against this new immigration bill. Oh, man. Let's hope they don't boycott coming here." --Jay Leno

"They're going to have to pay a $5,000 fine. Where are these people going to get five grand? I mean, what are the chances Wal-Mart's going to give them a raise?" --Jay Leno

"Mexican President Vicente Fox arrived in the U.S. today. So, it's official. He's the last one. Turn out the lights. They are all here now." --Jay Leno

"In Orange County, President Bush was talking about immigration. Bush said that massive deportation is unrealistic. He said you can't just move 12 million people to another country. I don't know, Mexico did it." --Jay Leno

"Over a million people marched today in cities across the country to protest immigration laws. And while we were watching them do that, a million more people snuck across the U.S./Mexican border." --Jay Leno

"This is what I don't get about this. They've got oil. Their citizens love the United States. Forget Iraq, we should have invaded Mexico." --Jay Leno

"President Bush is down in Mexico right now. Again, I don't think President Bush gets it. As soon as he stepped off Air Force Once, he looked around and said, 'Wow, you got a big problem with Mexican immigrants down here, too.'" --Jay Leno

"This past week there were half a million illegal immigrants on the streets of Los Angeles and that was before the protests. That was Friday. ... Half a million people? It looked like career day at Wal-Mart." --Jay Leno

"In a new report by the Center for Immigration Studies, researchers report that the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. is down by 11 percent, and a lot of them are returning home. See, that's when you know the economy is bad, when illegal immigrants are fleeing to Mexico for a better way of life!" --Jay Leno

"Our cowardly, idiot Congress left on a two-week spring break. They're the biggest bunch of do-nothings. They didn't do anything. They didn't come to terms with the bill. They just left and went on vacation. So apparently, Congress is also on a temporary worker program." --Jay Leno <http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/immigration/a/immigration.htm> quotes by Daniel Kurtzman at About.com

Other Criticisms:

Jay Leno has been listed on Miquelon.org as an "Anti-French comedian." <http://www.miquelon.org/bashers/>

External links

• Official Tonight Show Web Site
• Jay Leno's Car Collection
• New York Times on Leno's affiliation with McPherson College
• Live Performance Videos from the Tonight Show
• On-line petition to keep Jay Leno as host of the Tonight Show
• Jay Leno at IMDb