Jay Leno endured a difficult bout of health struggles in late 2022 and early 2023 after a series of motorcycle and car accidents left him badly injured.
The 73-year-old comedian and former The Tonight Show host spoke with Entertainment Tonight on December 3rd at the Kennedy Center Honors about the injuries and how they impacted his outlook on life.
"It hasn't changed it at all," he candidly told the outlet. "Once a man hits 40, you can't convince him of anything else."
In November 2022, Jay was badly injured in a garage fire which required extensive surgery and reconstruction work. In January 2023, he fell off one of his motorcycles and suffered from several broken bones.
However, he remained steadfast in his resolve to continue with his beloved automobiles, which was spotlighted in the NBC TV show Jay Leno's Garage, which was canceled this January after an eight-year run from 2014-2022.
"I'm still riding motorcycles. I'm still falling off, I'm still working on cars," he said. "No, once a guy learns [something], you can't teach him new tricks."
In January, he spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about getting "knocked off" his motorcycle on January 17 and the horrific way it all went down.
WHAT HAPPENED: Jay Leno breaks knee-caps, ribs, and collarbone in motorcycle crash
"I've got a broken collarbone. I've got two broken ribs. I've got two cracked kneecaps," he told the publication, but asserted that he was quickly recovering and was back to work in less than two weeks.
The TV staple revealed that he was testing a 1940 Indian motorcycle when he smelled gas and decided to pull over, which took a turn for the worse.
"So I turned down a side street and cut through a parking lot, and unbeknownst to me, some guy had a wire strung across the parking lot but with no flag hanging from it," he shared. "So, you know, I didn't see it until it was too late. It just clotheslined me and, boom, knocked me off the bike. The bike kept going, and you know how that works out."
After suffering a garage fire in his Los Angeles home last November, Jay released a statement at the time which read: "I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire. I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet."
He was forced to cancel an appearance in Las Vegas at the time due to his injuries and an email to attendees read: "His family was not able to provide us very many details, but there was a very serious medical emergency that is preventing Jay from traveling. All we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight."
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