Joe Rogan Experience #692 - Jay Leno

TL;DR

Jay Leno explains that his car collection grew from a lifelong interest sparked while working at a Ford dealership, where he concluded that selling cars would never let him own the ones he wanted and turned to comedy instead. He also discusses hosting The Tonight Show, dealing with celebrity publicists, and why tightly managed guests made interviews less spontaneous. Read on for his firsthand stories.

Transcript

good morning everybody jay leno thank you very much for doing this man thanks thanks for having me I appreciate it your your place is the most impressive thing that I've ever seen someone own your garage I shouldn't say garage cuz everybody thinks it's a garage you're on you have twelve garages twelve giant warehouse buildings filled with the most ... Read More

Key Insights

• 😀 Opening acts face unique challenges and unexpected situations while performing at clubs, as seen in Jay Leno's encounters with mobsters and eclectic crowds.
• ☄️ Jay Leno's humor comes from his ability to adapt his material to the audience, showcasing the importance of versatility and relatability in comedy.
• 🧡 Comedy legends like Leno have a wealth of stories to share, ranging from encounters with celebrities to navigating diverse comedy club experiences.
• 🧍 Stand-up comedy requires resilience and adaptability, as demonstrated by Leno's experiences opening for Tom Jones and handling hecklers in clubs.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Jay Leno get started collecting cars?

Leno says he worked at a Ford dealership when he was young and realized he would never own nice cars by continuing to work there. He became a comedian because he thought comedy offered a better way to earn money, allowing him to pursue the cars he liked.

Q: What kinds of cars does Jay Leno like to collect?

Leno says he likes old cars that are fun and have a good story behind them. He downplays the collection by noting that only some of the cars are amazing, while many appeal to him because of their history and character.

Q: What did Jay Leno do while working at a Ford dealership?

Leno says he was put in charge of odometer recalibrations. He describes using a drill to turn back odometers on used cars when instructed by the dealership.

Q: What dishonest dealership practices did Jay Leno witness?

Leno recalls odometers being rolled back before used cars were sold. He also says customers were charged for undercoating even though workers simply sprayed cheap black paint underneath the vehicle.

Q: Why did Jay Leno become a comedian instead of staying in the car business?

Leno says dealership work convinced him that he would never be able to afford nice cars. He therefore became a comedian because it seemed like a good way to make money at the time.

Q: What did Jay Leno enjoy about hosting The Tonight Show?

Leno says he enjoyed hosting because he likes people and likes talking with them. However, he often felt that he was effectively talking to a guest's publicist because the guest's image and acceptable topics were tightly controlled.

Q: How did Jay Leno handle publicists who restricted interview topics?

Leno describes an Olympic ice skater booked after appearing in Playboy, only for her manager to demand that the appearance not be mentioned. He responded that the article was the reason she had been invited and said they could leave because he could bring out a comedian instead.

Q: Why did Jay Leno think celebrity interviews became less spontaneous?

Leno says celebrities increasingly had handlers telling them what not to do or discuss. He contrasts that environment with older talk shows, where stars dressed themselves, made mistakes, and appeared less controlled.

Summary

Jay Leno and the interviewer discuss various topics including Jay's car collection, his start in comedy, his time hosting The Tonight Show, and the evolution of stand-up comedy.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Jay Leno get started with his car collection?

Jay started working at car dealerships as a kid and realized he wouldn't have nice cars unless he became more successful. So, he became a comedian to make money and started collecting cars as a hobby.

Q: What were some of the worst things Jay saw car dealers do?

Jay witnessed dealers recalibrating odometers and saw them fraudulently selling undercoating by using cheap black paint. He deems the car business as horrible back in the day.

Q: Did Jay ever consider going back to do another talk show?

No, Jay said he didn't even consider it because he couldn't recreate the same success and budget he had with The Tonight Show. He believes in not trying to make lightning strike twice.

Q: How did Jay's dad retire from being a prizefighter?

Jay's dad eventually sold his boxing movie to an insurance company and retired from fighting. Jay thought his dad quit boxing because he couldn't physically bring himself to hit another person.

Q: Did Jay retire from The Tonight Show on top?

Yes, Jay left The Tonight Show when it was still number one. He didn't miss it at all and had enjoyed his time hosting the show.

Q: How did Jay describe the comedy scene before the comedy boom?

Jay said comedy was often seen as very serious or conceptual during that time. He mentioned plays where a comedian would use a flashlight under their chin to create different emotions.

Q: What is Jay's opinion on actors playing stand-up comedians?

Jay believes that actors playing stand-up comedians often don't capture the essence of what it's really like to be a stand-up. He prefers when comedians play comedians because they understand the art form better.

Q: What did Jay say about the difficulty of writing jokes?

Jay said that writing jokes is incredibly difficult, especially because it's easier to take a clean joke and make it dirty, but much harder to take a dirty joke and make it clean. He believes that a real comedian wouldn't want to write jokes for an actor.

Q: How did Jay feel about the boom of comedy in the 80s?

Jay said it was a magical time for comedy and that he caught the crest of it. He mentioned that stand-up comedians had to work clean back then, which helped shape their comedic skills.

Q: What advice did Jay have for aspiring comedians?

Jay advised comedians to develop their own unique style and not rush to the middle. He emphasized the importance of working clean and being able to adapt jokes to various audiences.

Takeaways

Jay Leno talks about his passion for cars, the challenges of being a comedian, and the evolution of the comedy industry. He shares stories about car dealership scams, his time hosting The Tonight Show, and his experience in the comedy scene. Jay encourages aspiring comedians to stay true to themselves and to continually develop their craft. He believes that writing jokes is a difficult skill and that a comedian's success often depends on their ability to adapt and connect with various audiences.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Jay Leno recounts his encounters with mob-run clubs, working as a car dealership employee, and starting his impressive car collection.

• The comedian shares his experiences from opening for legends like Tom Jones and dealing with hecklers.

• Leno discusses the challenges and humor in navigating different types of audiences, including the quirky antics during events.