Jay Leno Tickets

The hardest working comedian in show business, veteran of the late night talk show wars, bigger hair and a bigger chin than practically any comedian around, not to mention he's still the reigning king of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno is a comedy institution.

Iron Jay

Jay Leno has always had an incredibly strong work ethic, and his hard work has paid off in an incredible comedy career, one of the most successful ever. Like many comedians, Leno wrote for television, and his credits include Good Times, as well as bits for David Letterman.

Leno also took his act on the road, and used to perform standup 300 nights a year (he even met his wife Mavis while performing, and knew she was the woman for him because she got his best jokes and laughed at the right nuances).

Leno eventually became the permanent guest host for Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, as well as racking up a record number of David Letterman visits. When Johnny finally decided to leave The Tonight Show for good, Jay won a highly publicized, and hotly competitive, fight for the show, and after a rocky start beginning on May 25, 1992, Jay made The Tonight Show as much his home away from home as Johnny did.

Jay Leno Leading With His Chin to Vegas

In spite of being at the top of his game, Jay Leno still hasn't given up his strong work ethic, or his love of live performing. A lot of comedians love the "without a net" aspect of performing live because it often keeps their material sharp, and keeps them from going soft. 'Show business is a game of football,' he recently told a reporter. 'Whoever controls the ball controls the game.'

Leno also said, 'I've always been a stand-up comedian who happens to have a TV show. I live on the money I make as a comic, and I like being a comic. No matter what happens to TV, I can always go out and make a living.' Always nice to have something to fall back on.

Leno famously puts away his Tonight Show moolah, and makes his living doing live comedy. Although he's clearly doing very well, Leno once said, 'The best way to ruin a comedy is to throw a lot of money at it.' (Leno also liked to quip that 'You aren't famous until my mother has heard of you.')

So how does Jay hold up away from The Tonight Show? 'Leno's still got it,' one fan wrote in. Another wrote, 'We noticed that Jay was playing Vegas at the Mirage and we booked a whole trip around his show. It was all worth it!!!' And yet another fan called Jay 'very witty, funny and right on the mark. His interaction with the audience was brilliant. A delightful experience, and we will do it again.'

Jay Leno's career definitely proves that hard work and perserverence absolutely pays off, and it continues to pay off for him in laughs, night after night on the Tonight Show, and at the Mirage.