Jay Leno has reportedly filed for conservatorship over his wife of 44 years, Mavis, and her estate.
Mavis, 77, reportedly is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease, which is said to be the foundation of Jay’s legal motion, and suggests she is no longer in a position to look after herself.
The pair have been married for five decades, tying the knot in 1980 after meeting in the 1970s at West Hollywood's famous Comedy Store. They never welcomed any children. Neither Jay nor Mavis have addressed the court filings. There will be a hearing in April.
© Monica SchipperAlzheimer's is the "most common cause of dementia," according to The Alzheimer's Association. "Dementia is a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases."
“We have a great time. You have to marry a normal person,” Jay said during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in September 2023.
“Guys say [to me] all the time, ‘I met this girl, she’s crazy but the sex is unbelievable.’ I go to them, ‘You’re right, but when the sex is over, she’s still crazy. Now, you have 23 hours of crazy until [the] good-crazy hour comes back. I always [say], ‘Marry your conscience. Marry the person you wish you could be, who is kind and maybe whatever fault you have, doesn’t have those faults.’ That’s worked out for me, so to me, I married the perfect person. It worked out good.”
© Ron GalellaThe news comes after a tough 15 months for former talk show host Jay, as in November 2022 he was involved in a terrifying car fire inside his Los Angeles home's garage while working on a vintage car.
He was left with severe second and third-degree burns and a nine-day stint at Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital.
© Greg Doherty"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 said at the time. During his time in the hospital, during which he said he took no pain medication because it served as "a reminder that I'm an idiot," he underwent two skin grafting surgeries – one with human cadaver skin and a second with pig intestine – to help regenerate healthier new skin, plus he had sessions in hyperbaric chambers to help oxygenate tissue.
He also received an outpour of support from his family and famous friends. Mavis was said to have slept beside him during his time at the burn center, and he shared: "John] Travolta sent me a big Italian basket, Tom Selleck sent flowers and Russell Crowe called from Australia. I've been in this business a long time and to feel that love was really touching."
© Taylor HillTwo months later, on January 17 2023, he found himself back in hospital after he broke his collarbone and two ribs, and cracked his kneecaps, following a motorcycle accident.
But in May 2023 he insisted he was not ready to retire; he has most recently hosted the NBC game show You Bet Your Life as well as Jay Leno's Garage. Insisting he won't step back from his career unless his health truly demands it, he declared: "That's when you retire, when you have your stroke."
