Today is Jay Leno's birthday

[red dog 1]

James Douglas Muir Leno was born April 28, 1950 in New Rochelle, New York
His mother, Catherine, was born in Greenock, Scotland, and his father, Angelo, an insurance salesman, was born in New York City to immigrants from Flumen, Italy.

He grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, graduated from Andover High School, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in speech therapy from Emerson College, where he started a comedy club in 1973.

Leno made his first appearance on The Tonight Show on March 2, 1977.
Starting in 1987, Leno was a regular substitute host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.
In 1992, he replaced Carson as host.

Leno left The Tonight Show on Friday, May 29, 2009, and Conan O'Brien took over on June 1, 2009.

Leno's biggest influence and his mentor was Johnny Carson.
Other comedians who influenced him were Alan King, Robert Klein, Mort Sahl, David Brenner, George Carlin, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart and Rodney Dangerfield.

Leno does not drink or smoke, nor does he gamble.
He spends most of his free time visiting car collections or working in his private garage.
He owns approximately 386 vehicles, (169 automobiles and 117 motorcycles).
Among his collection are two Doble steam cars, a sedan and a roadster that were owned by Howard Hughes, the fifth Duesenberg Model X known to survive, and one of nine remaining 1963 Chrysler Turbine Cars.

Leno has been married to Mavis Leno since 1980.
The couple have no children

[hlthe2b]

1. He surely wasn't my fav on late night tv, but I think he is basically a good guy..

He was never going to be an "edgy" comic by any means, but he certainly had his audience and pretty much carried on with Carson's traditions.

Happy Birthday, Jay...

[Mike Nelson]

2. I always...

...liked Letterman better. I think they were on at the same time. I recall there was some big mix-up with how he left... also, there was a guest who was caught with a prostitute and people said booking him gave Jay Leno a boost with viewers, advertisers and the network. Congratulations to him on his marriage and good health!

[Miles Archer]

3. His "Playboy After Dark" appearance is beyond "classic."

Hef and his assembled bunnies, playmates and hangers-on displayed a painful lack of awareness, regardless of the guests. They had "one speed"...smiling and nodding. This was during Jay's stand-up days...he had the huge hair, he did his stand-up, and the room full of automatons gamely chuckled along. It was SURREAL.

[red dog 1]

6. Speaking of Hefner.what's really beyond "classic" was the 2001 Comedy Central/Friar's Club Roast

of Hef, taped shortly after the September 11 attacks.

Gilbert Gottfiied followed Rob Schneider, who had received mixed results with his stand-up comedy performance in Hefner's honor.

Gilbert began his performance with a joke in which he claimed to have to catch a late night flight out of town but was worried because his flight "had a connection at the Empire State Building."
The joke was poorly received by the audience, who showered Gottfried with boos and cries of
"too soon."
In response, Gilbert told an obscenity-filled rendition of the "Aristocrats" joke.

If you haven't yet seen it, you might want to rent it on Netflix....It's absolutely hilarious!
The movie is called "The Aristocrats"

[Boxerfan]

4. He's a genuine car nut....

With a passion for restorations that most would not touch.
I love his enthusiasm but the voice is nails on a blackboard for me.

An old school Republican & I can respect that.

[red dog 1]

7. I didn't know he was a Republican

The Wikipedia article on him shows a photo of him sitting with a smiling President Obama at the White House.
[I think he did support Obama in the 2008 election]

[Cirque du So-What]

5. On his birthday, remember his mother

who walked funny for years after delivering his chin.

[LyndaG]

8. I miss "Headlines"!

That was fun. When I've seen him interviewed, he seems like a very nice man.