Former “Tonight Show” host and stand-up comedian, Jay Leno, 74, suffered multiple injuries after a 60-foot tumble near his hotel in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on November 16, 2024. However, the comedic icon continued with his scheduled performance just a few hours later.
Despite his injuries, Leno made an appearance at the Comedy for Koby event in Beverly Hills on Monday night, November 18, his face swollen, sporting a black eye, and with a bandaged wrist. Wearing an eye patch, Leno informed TMZ that he was “holding up fine” and recounted how he had acquired his injuries.
“I was staying at a hotel on a hill,” he said. “I asked, ‘Where’s a good place to eat?’ They said, ‘Down at the bottom.’ The restaurant was close, but I didn’t have a car, so instead of walking a mile and a half around, I thought, ‘This hill doesn’t look too bad. It’s about 60 or 70 feet. Let me try going down.’”
Regrettably, his decision to take a shortcut ended with him getting injured. “I rolled down the hill, hit my head on a rock, and it knocked me in the eye,” Leno shared. Despite the fall, the former “Tonight Show” host carried on and performed a comedy show at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg, Pennsylvania just hours later, seeking medical attention only after he returned to Los Angeles.
The tumble resulted in Leno suffering severe injuries, including extensive bruising on the left side of his body and face, a swollen eye that required an eye patch, a broken wrist that needed a cast, and a lost fingernail.
Characteristically, Leno managed to make light of the situation, joking, “The great thing about this age [is] you don’t learn by your mistakes, you just keep doing the same stupid thing.”
This incident follows Leno’s series of unfortunate incidents over the past two years. In November 2022, he incurred second and third-degree burns to his face, chest, and hands while working on a steam engine in his garage. This required treatment at the Grossman Burn Center and multiple surgical procedures.
In January 2023, Leno was involved in a motorcycle accident which resulted in a broken collarbone, two broken ribs, and cracked kneecaps.
In addition to these challenges, Leno also has been dealing with his wife Mavis’ dementia diagnosis. He was granted conservatorship earlier this year. Despite her condition, the couple, who got married in 1980, remains deeply connected. Leno has spoken about the pleasure he derives from taking care of her, admiring her independence, and feeling immense pride in her. After being married for over 40 years, their strong bond continues to support them through life’s challenges.
Despite these obstacles, Leno has kept up with his performance schedule. Leno, reflecting on his resilience, stated, “I write jokes, tell jokes, get checked.”