Earlier this week, we reported that the former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno had performed for the first time on Sunday night just two weeks after he suffered serious burns to his face and hand in a gasoline fire.
It has since been revealed that as he drove himself to this gig at a comedy club in Hermosa Beach, California, the 72 year-old comedian hit a police vehicle with his car not once, but twice!
That awful fire has robbed The Great Jay Leno of his ability to drive (his favorite thing in the whole wide world!!!) pic.twitter.com/piLHwUXX2V
— Andrew Woods (@JimJarmuschHair) November 30, 2022
Leno Hits Police Car Twice
The New York Post reported that as Leno pulled up to the gig in his Tesla, he hit the tire of a police Jeep with his back right tire. He then bizarrely backed up, only to hit the police vehicle once again.
“You can just go, we’ll figure it out later,” police officers who appeared to be starstruck said as Leno’s wife Mavis, who he’s been married to for 42 years, rolled down her window to speak to them.
After this debacle, Leno decided to just parallel park in front of the Comedy Magic Club rather than pull into a spot that was wide open. He needed to shift gears four times to do this, and though he almost hit the curb at one point, but he finally managed to get the job done.
Check out video of the entire incident below.
Related: Jay Leno Performs For The First Time After Suffering Serious Burns In Gasoline Fire
Leno Stays Positive
Leno kept a positive attitude throughout this ordeal, and he was all smiles when he got out of his vehicle.
“Did I rub your tire?” he asked the police officers who had gathered in front of the car. The comedian then checked his own car to assess if there was any damage.
“Yeah, no, it’s fine,” Leno said before deadpanning, “National Inquirer got the story all wrong. They said I was in the hospital because Nancy Pelosi hit me in the head with a hammer. That’s not what happened.”
“We got two shows tonight: regular and extra crispy,” he added when someone asked if he was nervous. “I never thought of myself as a roast comic.”
The gig appears to have gone well for Leno, who has performed at the club nearly every week for thirty years, as he was given two standing ovations.
Jay Leno cracked jokes with reporters as he made his return to the stand-up stage, two weeks after he suffered serious burn injuries. https://t.co/rmJiRX7BiN pic.twitter.com/JPluKjAA1G
— ExtraTV (@extratv) November 28, 2022
Leno’s Fire
This came just two weeks after Leno was injured in a fire that started in his garage in Burbank on November 12. He was working on a steam engine under a 1907 White Steam Car when the fire broke out, leaving him with major burns to his face and hands.
“I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire,” Leno said in a statement afterwards. “I am OK. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.”
Jay Leno hit police car as he arrived for comeback stand-up show#JayLeno #MavisLeno #GrossmanBurnCenter #StandUp #TheComedyandMagicClub pic.twitter.com/vOSUW7Y8C1
— BANG Showbiz (@BANGShowbiz) November 29, 2022
Leno spent the next ten days being treated at the Grossman Burn Center for his injuries. Dr. Peter Grossman, who treated Leno himself, is confident that he’ll make a “full recovery.”
“Some of the burns to the face are a little deeper and a little more concerning,” Grossman said shortly after the fire. “I do anticipate him making a full recovery. Whether they’ll be remnants of this injury, it’s still too early to tell. I’d say that his injuries are serious, his condition is good.”
While we’re happy to see that Leno is already performing again, perhaps he should let someone else do the parking for him at his next gig! In all seriousness, we hope that you will join us in saying a prayer for his continued recovery.