For Jay Leno, it’s always been in sickness and in health.
After being granted a conservatorship over his wife Mavis Leno in 2024 amid her battle with dementia, the comedian recently spoke about caring for her around the clock.
“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?'” Jay, 74, explained on In Depth with Graham Bensinger April 23. “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.”
While his wife is battling advanced dementia—which led to a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge granting Jay the conservatorship over Mavis, 78, in April 2024—the former host of The Tonight Show admitted that their lives are the same, just with a little extra help.
“It’s basically what we did before,” he 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.”
Jay—who married Mavis in 1980—shared how he tries to keep his wife’s memories sharp by playing a game with photos of some of their moments together.
“It’s kind of fun,” the comedian said. “I go, ‘Honey, that’s President Obama. Remember we had dinner?’ She’ll say, ‘Oh, not me.’ And I’ll say, ‘Yeah, honey, that was you!'”
After 45 years of marriage, Jay noted he has no regrets about caring for this wife, even with its ups and downs.
“When you have to feed someone and change them and carry them to the bathroom and do all that kind of stuff every day,” he said. “It’s a challenge. And it’s not that I enjoy doing it, but I guess I enjoy doing it.”
After all, for him, marriage is more than just romance.
“I’m not just, ‘This person is attractive and sexy,'” he said. “At some point in my life, I’m gonna be called upon to defend myself. I think that’s really what defines a marriage. I mean, that’s really what love is. That’s what you do. I mean, I’m glad I didn’t cut and run. I’m glad I didn’t run off with some woman half my age or any of that silly nonsense. I would rather be with her than doing something else.”
And despite Mavis’ health issues, Jay is constantly reminded of both the love he has for her and the reason their marriage has stood the test of time.
“To me, my wife never asked me not to do this,” Jay said, referring to his career in the spotlight. “I always took her with me, and we always had a good time, we always had fun. It’s like we’re on a date all the time. We’ve been married 45 years. The first 40 unbelievable, that last five have been a challenge. I think there’s more love now.”
