Jay Leno
Comedy history · 11 facts, each from at least two of 14 independent sources · last reviewed 2026-10-17
Jay Leno, born on April 28, 1950, is a comedian and a former host of NBC's The Tonight Show.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 He came out ahead in his late-night ratings competition with David Letterman.9,10 He also writes for Popular Mechanics.11,12
Late-Night Slot and Rivalry with Letterman
At first, Leno held the 11:30 p.m. late-night time slot on NBC.13,14 During the 1995-96 season, he moved past David Letterman in the late-night ratings, and he kept that lead from then on.10,15
The Jay Leno Show and the 2010 Dispute
The Jay Leno Show was broadcast every weeknight, and its ratings were low.8,13 The resulting late-night dispute ended with O'Brien's exit from The Tonight Show, and Leno then came back to the program.1,16 Leno once joked that the network's initials meant its contracts should not be trusted.13,17
Sources
- Jay Leno - Biography - Movies & TV - NYTimes.com (nytimes.com) · archived copy
- Andover Biography - Jay Leno - Andover Answers (mhl.org) · archived copy
- WGA: No chin music for Jay Leno | Company Town | Los Angeles Times (latimes.com) · archived copy
- Jay Leno released from the hospital - New York Daily News (nydailynews.com) · archived copy
- Comedians Jay Leno and Chris Tucker testify for Michael Jackson - Courttv.com - Trials (courttv.com) · archived copy
- Jay Leno cleared of strike violations - Entertainment News, WGA Writers Strike, Media - Variety (variety.com) · archived copy
- Jay Leno hospitalized; 'Tonight Show' tapings canceled - CNN.com (cnn.com)
- Conan keeps heat on NBC during ‘Tonight’ - today > entertainment - today > entertainment > tv - TODAY.com (today.com) · archived copy
- Pushed From Late Night, Jay Leno Is Set for Prime Time - NYTimes.com (nytimes.com) · archived copy
- USATODAY.com - NBC signs Jay Leno to contract extension (usatoday.com)
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus, David E. Kelley, Jay Leno, Rupert Murdoch, Ray Dolby, Brandon Stoddard Named To TV Academy’s Hall Of Fame (deadline.com)
- Jay Leno Reveals Mystery Ailment: Exhaustion | PEOPLE.com (people.com) · archived copy
- Jay Leno may regain 'Tonight Show' perch (Updated) - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)
- NBC to Conan O'Brien -- The Choice Is Yours (tmz.com)
- Conan O'Brien to Succeed Jay Leno in 2009, NBC Announces - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
- NBC Universal Confirms Conan O’Brien Exit Deal Signed - BusinessWeek (businessweek.com) · archived copy
- Jay Leno Heading Back To Late Night, Conan O’Brien Weighing Options | Access Online (accessonline.com) · archived copy
Updated November 12, 2026.