Although late night time tv host, author and comic Jay Leno is a well known car fanatic, don’t ask him what his favourite automobile is.
“I get that one quite a bit,” Leno stated of the issues followers ask him as he was making ready to host an in-person automobile giveaway at Yaamava’ Resort & On line casino in Highland on Monday, Oct. 2. “However, you understand, I like automobiles and have about 200 and alter.”
That night, one fortunate on line casino patron rode out in a 2023 Rolls Royce Ghost valued at $404,719.28, whereas 4 runner up finalists had the possibility to earn $3,500-$20,000 in free play.
“I don’t have any Rolls Royce, so perhaps I’ll win it,” Leno joked earlier than making the night time’s last drawing.
“Oh, I picked my very own title! What are the percentages,” he stated. “It’s thrilling as a result of there’s so many horrible issues on the planet, so it’s good to have the ability to see folks be blissful and have enjoyable, and it’s like, when do you even get an opportunity to sit down in a Rolls Royce not to mention win one.”
As a comic book, Leno made his first look on late night time tv within the late ’70s and in 1986, he turned a frequent substitute host for Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Present.” He changed Carson in 1992, changing into the host for NBC’s “The Tonight Present with Jay Leno.” He left briefly in 2009 as Conan O’Brien took over, however returned a yr later. He hosted his last episode on Feb. 6, 2014.
In 2021, he led the revival of the “You Wager Your Life” recreation present along with his co-host Kevin Eubanks, who labored alongside him on “The Tonight Present.” He additionally produces and hosts the CNBC primetime present and internet sequence, “Jay Leno’s Storage,” which focuses on automobile and motorbike opinions.
Earlier than Leno introduced the Rolls Royce winner, he spoke to Southern California Information Group about his time as a Rolls Royce worker, his views on electrical automobiles, the state of comedy and extra. The next dialog was edited for house and readability.
Q: Have you ever ever pushed a Rolls Royce?
Leno: Oh yeah, I used to work for Rolls Royce. I used to be like a brand new automobile prep man. I’d placed on the license plates, polish it for the man, that type of stuff. They used to name it quite a bit boy, and so they’d say, ‘The man is right here. Carry the automobile round,’ and also you’d burn rubber within the car parking zone.
Q: You lately drove Raglan’s Tesla-powered Land Rover Defender. What was that like?
Leno: It was fascinating. It’s quiet, has a whole lot of energy and is quicker than the inventory one. It doesn’t burn any fuel, so it’s wonderful with me.
Q: What are your ideas about electrical automobiles and the deal with them within the present automobile market?
Leno: To me, it’s one other different. I imply, fuel is nearly $7 a gallon in California, and electrical automobiles run you perhaps 10-20 % of that. I drove down right here in a Tesla, and to return right here and again, that may’ve been $120 in fuel. With electrical energy, it’s nonetheless costly, however nowhere close to as unhealthy.
Q: As a automobile fanatic, what’s it prefer to work on “Jay Leno’s Storage?”
Leno: Nice. We’ve completed “Jay Leno’s Storage” on YouTube for 13 years, after which we had that movie star model on broadcast TV that was like a rolling “Tonight Present.” We’d have folks like George Clooney speak about what sort of automobile they like, go for a drive and speak about the way it was the automobile you first made love in or no matter it will be (for every movie star).
Q: To shift gears a bit, I do know you’re on tour and have carried out across the nation in lots of locations, together with at casinos in Southern California and in Las Vegas. How do you are feeling at these on line casino reveals performing as a comic?
Leno: I carried out right here, and it’s an awesome room. That is Vegas, besides it’s not in Vegas, which is good. That is as good as any on line casino you’d see in Vegas, and it’s cool that you just don’t need to go all the best way there to expertise it. I’ve been doing standup for 50 years and was fortunate sufficient to get “The Tonight Present,” however even then, I’d be on the highway each weekend. You need to maintain doing it. You may’t do it and cease after which abruptly do it once more. If you happen to’re carrying materials round in your head, you’ve go to do all of it.
Q: Do you’ve got any favourite on line casino video games?
Leno: I’m not a gambler. If you happen to work at these locations, you shouldn’t gamble.
Q: As a on line casino reporter, I can guess I can relate to that, too, proper?
Leno: I relaxation my case.
Q: On this stage of your profession, are there stuff you discover humorous now that you just perhaps you didn’t earlier than?
Leno: It’s truly the opposite approach round. It’s stuff that we discovered humorous earlier than that you could’t do now. However you understand it’s not unhealthy, it’s like the whole lot else. Within the outdated days, there have been girls and homosexual jokes, and it’s in all probability higher we don’t do these anymore. I believe you’ll be able to tease and poke enjoyable at folks. It’s a basic (case of) in the event that they’re laughing with you and also you’re not laughing at them, I don’t discover it that onerous. Everybody likes being teased and that humorousness. You need to know while you crossed the road, and it’s a wonderful line in comedy.