Jay Leno is sticking to his promises.
The comedian and former late-night presenter spoke out about how his life has altered a year after being awarded custody of his wife of more than four decades, Mavis Leno, following her dementia diagnosis.
During an appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, which aired on April 23, Jay, who is only days away from turning 75, revealed that this is the first true struggle he has encountered in his life.
“When you marry, you make a vow: ‘Will I live up to this?'” Or will I act like a sleazy person and bang the clerk at the little mart if something happens to my wife?'” he said. “No, I did not.” I adore spending time with my wife. I go home, fix supper for her, watch TV, and everything is fine.”
“It’s basically what we did before, except now I have to feed her and do all those things,” he told me. “But I like it.” I enjoy taking care of her. She’s a highly independent lady; therefore, I appreciate being needed.”
Jay said that “you have to find the humor” in the situation to get through difficult times, citing a time when he brought Mavis, now 78, shopping at Nordstrom and she insisted on purchasing a pair of fashionable shoes.
Another thing he and Mavis have been doing together since her diagnosis is going over memories on flashcards, which has gotten them both laughing.
“It’s kind of fun,” Jay said. “I said, ‘Honey, that’s President Obama. Remember when we had dinner? [She will say], ‘Oh, not me.’ And I’ll say, ‘Yeah, honey, it was you’!”
However, this does not lessen the pain caused by his new dynamic with his 45-year-old wife.
“That’s the challenge, isn’t it?” The challenge arises when you have to feed, change, and transport someone to the potty daily, he explained. “It is a challenge. And I don’t particularly love doing it, but I suppose I do.”
“I’m not just saying, ‘This person is attractive and sexy,’ having sex with them, and everything,” he said about having a partner. “I will have to defend myself at some point in my life.” I believe that is what characterizes a marriage. I mean, that is truly what love is. Love means taking action and being there for others. I am thankful that I didn’t abandon the situation. I’m pleased I didn’t go off with a woman half my age or something ridiculous like that. “I’d rather be with her than do anything else.”
Jay originally applied for Mavis’ conservatorship in January 2024, revealing that she had been diagnosed with “advanced dementia,” according to records seen by PEOPLE at the time. He requested a petition to establish a living trust for Mavis, ensuring she has “managed assets” for her future care in case he passes away.
In early April 2024, Mavis’ court-appointed attorney, Ronald Ostrin, filed a report addressing Jay’s conservatorship petition, stating that Mavis “consents” to the idea, and therefore Ostrin formally recommended Jay’s appointment as conservator of his wife’s estate.
In a file acquired by PEOPLE at the time, Mavis’ neurologist, Dr. Hart Cohen, stated that Jay is “such a nice man and treats [Mavis] like gold.” Ostrin spoke of the former Tonight Show host as “a standup guy” whose “private persona matches the public persona he projects.”
Ostrin also gave an update on Mavis’ health, noting that she “sometimes doesn’t know her husband, Jay, or her date of birth. ” Mavis, according to the neurologists, “has a lot of disorientation and will ruminate about her parents, who have both passed, and her mother, who died about 20 years ago.”
The article also discussed the couple’s relationship, which has been married since 1980, with Ostrin characterizing it as “long-term, loving, and supportive,” and Mavis seeing Jay as “her protector, and she trusts him.”
Jay and Mavis’ lawyer attended a hearing at Los Angeles County Superior Court days following the application, when she stated that she was “in agreement” with the conservatorship and was “receiving excellent care with her husband, Mr. Leno.” Jay was eventually declared “fit” to serve as conservator.
Jay’s had a terrible few years. Aside from his wife’s health issues, he suffered second- and third-degree burns in a gasoline fire in 2022. He was working on a steam engine underneath a vehicle in his garage when the fire broke out. Mavis remained by his side while he healed from serious burns.
Then, after falling down a steep slope in November 2024, Jay sustained injuries. He told Inside Edition that during the fall, he fractured his wrist, lost a nail on one of his fingers, and damaged his entire left side. He had to wear an eye patch while he recovered.
The comic met his wife after performing at the renowned Comedy Store in the 1970s, and the two married in 1980.
Jay previously joked with PEOPLE about the secret to their long-term marriage, saying, “A significant component is not screwing around.” You’re capable of doing a lot. You have the ability to accomplish much. You may leave your undergarments on the doorknob indefinitely, provided you refrain from causing any disturbances.
All joking aside, Jay stated, “I always tell guys when they meet a woman, ‘Marry your conscience.'” Marry someone who is the person you aspire to be, and everything will be well.”