Jay Leno is opening up about his marriage to Mavis Leno as she faces advanced dementia. The 75-year-old former “Tonight Show” host spoke on the “Life Above the Noise With Maria Shriver” podcast about caring for his wife, the reactions he’s heard from others, and what their day-to-day life looks like. Mavis, 79, was diagnosed in early 2024.
Leno told host Shriver, 70, that he has been surprised by how stunned some people seem when he speaks about staying devoted to his wife through her health journey.
“I’ve said this a bunch of times, you take a vow when you get married and people are stunned … they’re so shocked that you would live up to it,” Leno said during the episode, which premiered Sunday, January 11.
Leno and Mavis have been married since 1980, after meeting while he was performing at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. In the podcast discussion, he described how conversations about commitment can sometimes veer into uncomfortable territory — and how he responds.
“My favorite thing was — this is the most Hollywood thing. A guy said to me, ‘So, are you gonna get a girlfriend now?'” he recalled.
Leno said he replied, “‘Well no, I have a girlfriend. I’m married. Married 45 years.'” He added that the person continued pushing, saying, “‘Yeah, but you know what I mean.'” Leno said he stood firm.
“No, we’re kinda in this together here,” he said.
Leno also spoke about how he believes society’s view of relationships has changed over time. He said that in his view, doing what you are supposed to do in a marriage should not be considered unusual.
“That used to be the norm, and then when you strayed that was the out of whack part,” Leno said. “Now the out of whack part is fairly common, and staying and doing what you’re supposed to do is stunning to people.”
While he acknowledged that the past several years have brought new challenges, he also framed their situation as a reflection of the life they have built together over more than four decades.
“This is that thing of, ‘Okay, you’ve been pretty lucky up to this point. It’s been easy sailing. This is where it gets a little tricky,'” Leno said.
Mavis’ condition became public in April 2024 when Leno filed to establish a conservatorship over his wife’s estate. At the time, Mavis was “in agreement” with the arrangement, her attorney said in court, and was “receiving excellent care with her husband, Mr. Leno.”
Leno has continued discussing caregiving in other interviews as well, including “In Depth With Graham Bensinger.” He said their relationship still centers on the same togetherness, even though his responsibilities have increased.
“It’s basically what we did before,” Leno said. “Except now I have to feed her and do all those things. But I like it. I like taking care of her. She’s a very independent woman, so I like that I’m needed. And I need to be there.”
He also addressed the question of commitment directly on the show.
“When you get married, you sort of take a vow, ‘Will I live up to this? Or will I be like a sleazy guy if something happens to my wife, I’m out banging the cashier at the mini mart?'” Leno reflected. “No, I didn’t. I enjoy the time with my wife. I go home, I cook dinner for her, watch TV and it’s okay.”
Leno emphasized that humor remains an important part of how he supports Mavis. He told Shriver that making her laugh remains a central goal.
Jay also shared a story about a late-night moment that turned into a memory he now holds close. He recalled being in bed with Mavis when she told him she loved him.
“I said, ‘You’re having a nightmare, go back to bed,'” Leno said. “She thought that was the funniest thing; she just couldn’t stop laughing.”
“And to me, that’s what’s fun,” he continued. “‘Oh, I got a laugh out of her.'”
He has previously spoken about that same priority in a past interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“Nothing was more fun than making my mom laugh or pleasing my mom,” Leno said in 2002. “So I’ve transferred that to my wife. Now don’t get it confused: I don’t see my wife as my mom. But making her happy or making her laugh is a priority.”
