Jay Leno
Stand-up comedian

Jay Leno

Who Jay Leno is

Stand-up comedian, television host, author and automotive personality best known for two decades hosting The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He continues performing stand-up extensively in 2026 while also remaining associated with Jay Leno's Garage and automotive media.

At a glance

Born
1950
Style
Club workhorse to television
Came up through
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Comedy Store
Podcasts
Children's books and automotive columns
On screen
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jay Leno's Garage, You Bet Your Life and 11 more
WTF with Marc Maron
Episode 939
Next on stage
6 October 2026 — Hollywood Improv, Hollywood, CA

On stage

Lineups belong to the rooms and the comedians, and can change; each listing has the last word. Their nights on the Comedy Calendar →

Specials, shows and podcasts

On screen

Podcasts

Where they got their start

Came up the same way

Other comedians in SUCDb who came through The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Comedy Store:

The Launching Pads: the shows the comedians came through →

Comedians like Jay Leno

Each linked to them by something on the record — a stage they both came through, a bill, a show, a style or a home town.

Every stand-up comedian with a page, A to Z →

Career timeline

  1. 1950Born
  2. 1977The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (first appearance, 1977; a regular guest host from 1987) On screen
  3. 1993We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (Vorb, voice, 1993) On screen
  4. 1994The Flintstones (Bedrock's Most Wanted Host, 1994) On screen
  5. 2001The Fairly OddParents (the Crimson Chin / Nega-Chin, voice, 2001–2008, 2011) On screen
  6. 2005Robots (Fire Hydrant, voice, 2005) On screen
  7. 2006Ice Age: The Meltdown (Fast Tony, voice, 2006) On screen
  8. 2006Cars (Jay Limo, voice, 2006) On screen
  9. 2009The Jay Leno Show (host; creator, NBC, 2009–2010) On screen
  10. 2015Last Man Standing (Joe Leonard, 2015–2021) On screen
  11. 2017Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures (Billy Beagle, voice, 2017–2021) On screen
  12. 2024Midas Man (Ed Sullivan, 2024) On screen

Questions about Jay Leno

Where is Jay Leno performing next?

Tuesday 6 October 2026, 7:30 PM — with Brian Monarch, Kevin Nealon and Sebastian Maniscalco at Hollywood Improv, Hollywood, CA, then 9 more dates on D.O.C.'s Comedy Calendar. Each show's own listing has the last word.

What podcast do they host?

Children's books and automotive columns.

What TV shows and films are they in?

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jay Leno's Garage, You Bet Your Life, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Jay Leno Show and The Fairly OddParents, among 14 credits.

Where did they get their start?

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (stand-up; later its regular guest host) and The Comedy Store (a 1970s regular — Mitzi Shore booked him up to three shows a night; once a door guy).

When were they born?

In 1950.

Have they been on WTF with Marc Maron?

Yes — episode 939.

Who are some comedians like them?

Bill Engvall (also in Last Man Standing), Buddy Hackett (also in You Bet Your Life), George Carlin (also in Cars), Paula Poundstone (also came through The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson) and Andy Kaufman (also came through The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson).

The full SUCDb record

The full record — the career in order, the specials and credits, and the sources for each — is on SUCDb, with a button to add them to your D.O.C., your twelve.

Their SUCDb record →

Sources

Updated 5 October 2026 · the record checked 25 September 2026