Inside Jay Leno and Mavis Leno's Married Life: All Details Here

Inside Jay Leno and Mavis Leno's enduring marriage: The pair have been married for over four decades: Complete story here!

Jay Leno is a television host, comedian, writer, and actor, who rose to fame hosting The Tonight Show in the 80s. He was initially a substitute host for Johnny Carson before finally replacing the host in 1992. Leno has since cemented an empire out of talk show business and various ventures. Leno was replaced by Conan O'Brien to take over The Tonight Show in 2009, after which the comedian headlines the titular The Jay Leno Show for a year before launching the successful Jay Leno's Garage and You Bet Your Life.  

James Douglas Muir Leno was born on April 28, 1950, in New Rochelle, New York. Considered one of the most successful and even legendary comedians today, Leno initially started his journey with minor roles in television series and films. At 72, Leno continues to add to his stellar resume and stay active as ever. The comedian-turned-host recently suffered a third-degree burn from a garage fire but was back to work within weeks. Throughout his highs and lows in showbiz, the comedian has had his wife, Mavis Leno, standing beside him as his rock.  

Inside Jay Leno and Mavis Leno's Marriage!

Jay and Mavis's relationship garnered much love and adulation after the former Tonight Show host returned home to his wife despite suffering severe burn injuries. Leno was advised to visit the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles, but the comedian thought seeing his wife was more important. "My wife doesn't drive anymore and I didn't want her stuck and not knowing what was going on," the 72-year-old comedian said, adding, "It just seemed like the right thing to do, and I think it was."   

Unlike many other prolific stars. whose romantic involvements stretch as long as their professional credits, Leno's starts and ends with Mavis. The pair met at the ever-iconic Comedy Store in the 70s. Leno was performing at the club and Mavis recalls she was trying to write a comedy piece. "It was in January — I don't remember the day. But at the time I thought, 'Holy s—! That comedian is gorgeous," Mavis says about her now-husband. And it wasn't just Mavis who was enamored at the get-go; the comedian, too, felt the spark.   

The television host/auto-enthusiast wasn't much of a romantic. Leno once shared how he wasn't good at dating, but with Mavis, things were effortless. The twosome dated for a while and eventually tied the knot in 1980. Mavis had pledged to spinsterhood before she fell in love with the comedian. "I always had this idea that I would never get married. It was a big thing with me, part of my vehement feminism," Mavis explained. Also, Mavis was 34 when she came across Jay, so, she really didn't think that marriage was in her cards.   

Leno suffered a third-degree burn from a garage fire in November!  

Leno and Mavis's love story is full of peculiar scenes; from the comedian giving Mavis money to buy a blouse because he didn't want to buy her a drink (Jay doesn't drinks) to propose to her without an engagement ring. The Jay Leno Show host's proposal to Mavis came from a concerned place, instead of a romantic one. "I had this insurance policy, and I thought if something happened to me, my girlfriend wouldn't be covered, but if we're married, we're covered," Leno shared.   

Recalling the moment he popped the question, Mavis, Leno says, "I think I said, 'Honey, I've got this insurance plan." The two tied the knot on the same day as Leno's parents' wedding in a small ceremony. "I thought my mom would like that," the television host says. Despite being married for over four decades, Jay and Mavis are childfree and the latter takes full credit for the decision.  

Get to Know Jay Leno's Wife!

 You may have painted a brief idea of Jay's wife. She is a fervent feminist, former comedy writer, four years older than her other half, and the woman behind Leno's success. But there's more. Although known as the wife of the celebrated comedian, Mavis has cemented a career for herself that makes her a star in her own right. The 76-year-old is a philanthropist and has collaborated with her husband for kind causes.   

Mavis has acted as the chair of the Feminist Majority Foundation, which aims to fight gender apartheid in Afghanistan since 1997.  The foundation's website describes Mavis as "a leader in the effort to make the restoration of women's rights a non-negotiable element of a post-Taliban Afghanistan, and has been at the forefront of insuring that the plight of Afghan women is included in the world's reporting of the war in Afghanistan."  

Mavis and her husband have also contributed generously to the organization. The duo donated $100,000 to the cause in 1999.  Mavis's conscious decision to refrain from parenthood was shaped by watching shows like The Honeymooners as a child. The philanthropist learned how the marriage dynamics deviate after a couple becomes parents. "It's perfectly obvious the women are the ones trapped," she adds. Lucky for Mavis, Jay didn't have a problem and was completely on board since day one.  

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