Jay Leno on Being Replaced by Jimmy Fallon: ‘Makes Perfect Sense to Me’

Jay Leno says he would have been hurt and offended if NBC had fired him with no plan in mind, but with Jimmy Fallon the one stepping into his shoes, Leno says the move makes “perfect sense.”

In an interview set to air this Sunday on CBS’ “60 Minutes,” the “Tonight Show” host says he is more than willing to pass along late night’s most coveted gig to Fallon. He told Steve Kroft, “I probably would have stayed if we didn’t have an extremely qualified young guy ready to jump in. But we have somebody, very good, very talented.”

Leno went on to describe Fallon as “more like a young Johnny [Carson] than anyone since. And he’s really good. So you go with the new guy, makes perfect sense to me.”

Leno’s last show is Feb. 6 and Fallon’s “Tonight Show” kicks off from New York City on Feb. 17.

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