Jay Leno is gearing up for his return to Las Vegas to perform at the Encore Theater after he suffered second-degree burns over his upper body and face while working on one of his cars.
He gave an interview with a Vegas media outlet where the first question asked was how is the recovery going. Leno said: “It’s so funny you should say that. That was the first accident. OK? Then just last week, I got knocked off my motorcycle.
“So I’ve got a broken collarbone. I’ve got two broken ribs. I’ve got two cracked kneecaps. I turned down a side street and cut through a parking lot, and unbeknownst to me, some guy had a wire strung across the parking lot but with no flag hanging from it.
“So, you know, I didn’t see it until it was too late.
“It just clotheslined me and, boom, knocked me off the bike.
“The bike kept going, and you know how that works out.
“You know, after getting burned up, you get that one for free.
“After that, you’re Harrison Ford, crashing airplanes. You just want to keep your head down.
“I saw that theater and said, ‘I’d love to play here,’ and just made the call.
“It worked out well. The great thing about Vegas is the lights, the sound, it’s all a given.
“It’s done right. You play some gigs, like the Holiday Inn in Chicago, and it’s, ‘Hey, everybody woooop! woooop!’
“In Vegas, you have a high level of professionalism from the crews, and everybody. It’s really cool.
“When I was doing ‘The Tonight Show,’ you would get people pissed on both sides, ‘Leno, you and your Democratic friends,’ or, ‘Leno, you and your Republican friends.’
“I was proud of myself for not giving away any political beliefs. It was just about the joke.
“Nowadays, people are mad if you don’t say how you feel.
“I’ve just taken politics out of the act, altogether. I just don’t discuss anymore.
“It’s like before the punch line, they’re deciding, ‘Is he pro-my guy, or against my guy?’
“Rodney Dangerfield and I were friends for 40 years.
“I have no idea who Rodney voted for.
“I have no idea if he was Republican or Democrat, how we felt about the Middle East or any issue.
“It was all just silly, funny jokes with Rodney. That’s what made him great,” he said.
Jay Leno breaks multiple bones in motorcycle accident after car fire https://t.co/5aZe3IrPeh pic.twitter.com/kWIWmHSWkn
— Page Six (@PageSix) January 27, 2023
NEW: Jay Leno has suffered another major accident.
He revealed he broke several bones while riding a motorcycle last week. This comes just 2 months after the comedian suffered third degree burns while working on a vintage car. https://t.co/tMNLyZCNlM pic.twitter.com/6cT5rRpLqL
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) January 27, 2023