Jay Leno hospitalized with burns following gasoline fire injury
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Jay Leno is on the mend after suffering from burns sustained from a car fire, EW can confirm.
The former late night talk show host, 72, said he's doing okay in the wake of injuries stemming from a car fire in his garage. "I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire," Leno said in a statement. "I am okay. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet."
The development comes after Leno canceled a performance at the Financial Brand Forum, a conference that focuses on marketing and growth strategies in the banking world, in Las Vegas on Sunday. TMZ reported that it was due to the car injury and that Leno had been hospitalized. Leno has canceled all engagements for the week.
Shannon Finney/Getty Images Jay Leno
At the Financial Brand Forum, the comedian was slated for a private comedy performance at a convention center inside of ARIA Resort & Casino. The organizers told attendees in an e-mail that they did not have information on Leno's condition, but "all we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight," per PEOPLE.
The comedian has been vocal about other health struggles in the past. He was diagnosed with high blood cholesterol in 2019 and said a scan revealed a blockage in his heart. At the time, Leno filmed a video with Cholesterol 911 to raise awareness about the importance of check ups.
"We really want people to see the connection, 'cause a lot of people don't realize [with] high cholesterol, and if you've had a heart attack or stroke, you're increasing your risk for another one," Leno said. "It's like an earthquake. It might not destroy the house, but it certainly weakens the structure. There's a lot of people walking around like that. They're just time bombs."
He said he managed his health problems with medication and by avoiding alcohol and cigarettes, among other remedies. "I'm not one of those guys," Leno added. "I don't run five miles a day and do all that kind of stuff. Hopefully I'm appealing to people who think like me, which is probably the majority of the population, who would like to do more but not if it sounds like kind of a pain."
"But this is not a pain," he said. "It's really simple. You go to the doctor. It's a quick visit. He can tell you what you need to do."
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