Jay Leno has been involved in a series of accidents recently, which have threatened his health and temporarily prevented him from working, but in a new interview, he explains that he has no plans to slow down or retire any time soon if he can help it.
In fact, he declared that he plans to stay busy as long as possible, “unless I have a stroke.”
The 73-year-old comedian suffered third degree burns to his body and face from a gasoline fire in his garage last year, and just a short time after that fire, he was injured in a motorcycle crash. Leno has recovered from both incidents, saying, “Look, when you’re in my position, when you’re any kind of celebrity, you’re luckier than most people. So when something bad happens to you, you can’t whine and complain about it because bad things happen to people every day – either they get burned or they get cut – and they don’t have the financial wherewithal I did.”
Leno has made an impressive recovery, recently showing off his “brand new ear” and face on The Drew Barrymore Show.
Leno added that the only thing that would truly slow down his work schedule, which currently includes touring and appearing as a judge on NBC’s Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge, would be if he had a stroke.
“Then you slow down. That’s when you retire — when you have your stroke,” Leno said at the red carpet premiere for Ultimate Challenge, per Page Six.
Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge is hosted by Rutledge Wood and features other celebrity judges, including Terry Crews and Anthony Anderson. The custom car-building competition series premieres on NBC tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT (and streams the next day on Peacock).
