Jay Leno, renowned for his comedic talent and long-standing tenure as a talk show host, has demonstrated remarkable resilience in the face of various health challenges. From physical injuries to managing chronic conditions, Leno has openly shared his experiences, often with his characteristic humor. This article explores the health challenges Jay Leno has faced over the years, drawing upon his own accounts and media reports.
A Series of Unfortunate Events: Leno's Encounters with Accidents
In recent years, Leno has encountered a series of accidents that have tested his physical fortitude.
2024: The Hillside Fall
In November 2024, Leno recounted a harrowing experience to Inside Edition, detailing how he fell approximately 60 feet down a hill. The accident resulted in a broken wrist and extensive bruising. Leno also mentioned hitting his face and eye on a rock, necessitating the use of an eye patch during the interview. Despite the severity of the fall, Leno maintained a positive attitude, brushing off the incident with his signature humor. "I’m a little beat up,” he said. “I fell 60 feet. Boom, boom, boom, boom.”
2023: Motorcycle Mishap
Prior to his fall, in January 2023, Leno was involved in a motorcycle accident while riding his 1940 Indian Motorcycle. The accident resulted in a broken collarbone, two broken ribs, and two cracked kneecaps. Leno explained to NBC News that he was attempting to pull over after smelling leaking gas when he was clotheslined by a wire stretched across two poles in a parking lot. The impact threw him from the bike, leaving him with multiple injuries. Leno underwent a shoulder operation and experienced lingering knee issues, but his spokesman assured the public that he was "OK."
Leno revealed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he initially downplayed the motorcycle accident to avoid the media frenzy that followed his previous burning incident. “You know, after getting burned up, you get that one for free,” he said. “After that, you’re Harrison Ford, crashing airplanes. You just want to keep your head down.”
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2022: The Garage Fire
Perhaps one of the most widely reported incidents was the garage fire in 2022. Leno, a passionate car enthusiast, sustained severe burns while working on a 1907 White Steam car. The accident occurred when the car's pilot light jumped, igniting fuel that had sprayed on Leno's face.
Leno recounted the incident to TODAY’s Hoda Kotb, explaining that he was attempting to clear a clogged fuel line when the accident occurred. “I said, ‘Blow some air through the line,’” he said to his friend, Dave Killackey, who was positioned above the car. And Killackey did. “And then the pilot light jumped and my face caught on fire,” he recalled.
Killackey quickly extinguished the flames, and Leno was subsequently treated at the Grossman Burn Center in West Hills Hospital in Los Angeles. He suffered third-degree burns and spent nine days in the hospital, undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy to accelerate the healing process. Leno’s doctor told NBC News the comedian had burns on “approximately 7% of his body.”
Despite the severity of the burns, Leno remained characteristically optimistic, joking about how the incident would not drastically affect his appearance. “When you look like me, you don’t really worry about what you look like,” he said. “Look, if I’m George Clooney, it’s going to be a huge problem. But they said it would be alright so, you know my attitude is I trust people who are the best to do what they do.”
Managing Chronic Conditions: High Cholesterol and Dyslexia
Beyond accidental injuries, Leno has also been candid about his experiences with chronic health conditions, including high cholesterol and dyslexia.
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2019: High Cholesterol Awareness
In 2019, Leno partnered with an ad campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of high cholesterol. In a TV ad, the comedian opened up about his personal experiences with the health condition. "I really do have high cholesterol, you know, the stuff that can clog your arteries and lead to a heart attack or stroke," he said. "I've been fortunate I haven't had a heart attack or stroke, but I have a lot of friends that have, and it's important for them to seek out these new treatments and do what they can do to lower that bad cholesterol."
While discussing the campaign on the 3rd Hour of TODAY, Leno admitted that he had made some dietary changes but not drastically. He emphasized that cholesterol is a silent threat, noting that even individuals who appear healthy can be at risk. Leno said, "Somewhat, not drastically," he replied. "But, you know, cholesterol is one of these deals where it's not like we have an upset stomach (and say) 'Well, let me go to the doctor. I had a friend of mine who runs three miles every day and boom, had a stroke. And he was in great health. And look at me, I'm sitting at home watching you guys instead. It’s the luck of the draw."
2017: Overcoming Dyslexia
Leno has also spoken openly about his experience with dyslexia, a learning disorder that affects reading and decoding skills. In a 2017 video for the Child Mind Institute, Leno shared his childhood struggles with dyslexia and offered words of encouragement to others facing similar challenges.
Leno recounted the harsh treatment he received as a child, recalling how dyslexia was often met with punishment rather than understanding. "When I was a kid, this was the cure for dyslexia," he said and slapped his face twice while repeating the phrase, "Hey, smarten up."
Despite these challenges, Leno's mother instilled in him the importance of hard work and perseverance. "My mother would always say to me, 'Hey look, you're just gonna have to work twice as hard as the other kids to get the same thing.' And you know, I applied that to life. (I thought) 'I'll just stay an extra hour. I'll just put more time in,'" he explained. "So I not only got to equal the other kids. I got to do better because I was focused on my subject."
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Leno believes that dyslexia can foster unique strengths, such as heightened focus and determination. "You tend to put all your efforts into that direction and you don't get as distracted as other people do. So with every disadvantage, there's an advantage. And I think that's our advantage. When we find something we can do well, we go right there and we become successful," he said.
Controversy: The Biggest Loser Incident
Leno faced criticism regarding a 2009 segment on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" that was revisited in the Netflix docuseries "Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser." Rosie O'Donnell called out Leno for being "mean" in the segment, which featured "The Biggest Loser's" Tracey Yukich tearfully recounting death threats submitted by viewers that Leno read on air.
Leno responded to the criticism, stating that he did not dislike O'Donnell and that he typically met with guests beforehand to discuss the segment's content. "I'm pretty sure I asked beforehand if it would be OK. If not, we wouldn't have done it," Leno said. "It's why we got stars who wouldn't do many other shows."
Yukich, who suffered a near-death experience on "The Biggest Loser" due to rhabdomyolysis, said that she was ultimately thankful for her experience on the show. "I'm thankful that I was a part of (the show) because it did change my life," she said. "I really meant what I said at the end (when I) said that I was the one that changed my life. I was the one that did the work."