Comedy veteran and ex-“Tonight Show” host, Jay Leno, age 74, suffered several injuries after tumbling down a hill of approximately 60 feet near his hotel in Greensburg, Pennsylvania on November 16, 2024. Despite his injuries, Leno went on to perform his scheduled show just a few hours later.
At the Comedy for Koby event in Beverly Hills on the following Monday night, Leno showed up with a black eye, a swollen face, and a bandaged wrist. Sporting an eye patch, Leno assured TMZ that he was “holding up fine” and explained the cause of his injuries.
“I was staying at a hotel on a hill,” Leno explained. “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 around a mile and a half, I thought, ‘This hill doesn’t seem too steep. It’s about 60 or 70 feet. Let me try going down.’”
Unfortunately, Leno’s attempt to take a shortcut ended badly. “I rolled down the hill, hit my head on a rock, and it hit me in the eye,” he recounted. Despite the tumble, he pushed through and performed at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg just hours later, only seeking medical attention upon his return to Los Angeles.
The fall resulted in substantial injuries for Leno, including severe bruising on the left side of his face and body, a broken wrist that required a cast, a swollen eye that necessitated an eye patch, and a lost fingernail.
Keeping his sense of humor intact, Leno joked, “The great thing about this age [is] you don’t learn by your mistakes, you just keep doing the same stupid thing.”
This incident is part of a series of unfortunate events for Leno in recent years. In November 2022, he sustained 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 several surgeries.
In January 2023, Leno was involved in a motorcycle accident that led to a broken collarbone, two fractured ribs, and cracked kneecaps.
On a personal note, Leno has been dealing with his wife Mavis’ diagnosis of dementia. He was granted conservatorship early this year. Despite her condition, the bond between the couple, who married in 1980, remains strong. Leno takes pleasure in caring for her and appreciates her independence, expressing deep pride in her. Their enduring connection continues to be a source of strength amidst life’s trials.
Despite these challenges, Leno has not let his performance schedule slip. Reflecting on his resilience, he said, “I write jokes, tell jokes, get checked.”