Jay Leno Was Asked If He’d Get a Girlfriend Amid Wife’s Health Battle

by

Jay Leno was surprised by the response to his wife’s health struggles.

Since his wife, Mavis Leno, began her struggle with advanced dementia, Jay Leno has been her caregiver and has had to answer some surprisingly personal and difficult questions.

Jay recently shared a funny story on the Life Above the Noise With Maria Shriver podcast. Someone asked him, after his recent success, if he was planning on getting a girlfriend – a question he found very typical of Hollywood.

Jay was taken aback by the question and replied, “No, I’m taken – I’ve been married to my girlfriend for 45 years.”

To which he recalled the other guy saying, “‘Yeah, but you know what I mean.’”

The comedian made it clear he’s committed to his current relationship. He described supporting his girlfriend, Mavis, through good times and bad, playfully saying, “I’m sticking with my girlfriend, I’ll see everyone later.”

The comedian joked that people are surprised when someone actually keeps their wedding vows. It’s strange, they think, that anyone would follow through on such a promise.

The 75-year-old explained that people tend to overreact when someone simply does what’s expected of them – doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.

He explained that things used to be predictable – if you followed the rules, everything was normal. Deviating from those rules was considered unusual. Now, it’s the opposite: unusual behavior is common, and simply following the rules is what surprises people.

Even though he and his wife, Mavis, 79, are dealing with her illness, the comedian feels thankful that this challenge – the hardest he’s ever faced – has given him perspective. He explains it as a moment where life went from being smooth to becoming more difficult.

Jay said he always tries to look on the bright side, and making Mavis laugh remains a top priority for him.

The other night, around 2 a.m., Mavis suddenly told me she loved me. I thought she was dreaming and told her to go back to sleep. She found it hilarious and couldn’t stop laughing, and that’s what I enjoy – making her laugh.

Jay and Mavis got married in 1980. In January 2024, Jay petitioned the court to manage Mavis’s finances, and this arrangement was officially approved in April, according to reports from TopMob News.

Despite the happy times, the couple has also faced tough challenges, such as Mavis repeatedly struggling with and re-experiencing painful memories from her past.

Jay explained to Today that the most difficult part for his client was repeatedly receiving news of her mother’s death. For about three years, it felt like she was getting that call every single day.

Each time it was as if Mavis was “learning for the first time.” 

“That was really tricky,” Jay admitted. “That makes it hard.”

For more stars who have had their own difficult health journeys, keep reading. 

Nikki Bella, known from Total Bellas, shared that one of her breast implants moved after being hit during the elbow of fellow wrestler Piper Niven in a match that took place in July 2025.

I remember when she told Bella, her sister, that everything would be alright. She was so determined! She actually told the doctor, ‘As soon as my divorce is final and I can retire from dancing, I’m coming back to you and we’re going to get these girls looking amazing. They deserve to be shown off, and they will be!’ She was already planning their comeback, and it was so inspiring to hear her talk about making them look their absolute best for future performances. She really believed in them, and it was clear she wouldn’t settle for anything less than perfection.

Lupita Nyong’o, known for her role in 12 Years a Slave, received a diagnosis of uterine fibroids—non-cancerous growths in or around the uterus—in 2014. This was the same year she won an Academy Award for her performance in the film.

She didn’t share her diagnosis until 2025, when she revealed on Instagram that she had been privately struggling with the condition for over ten years.

She explained that girls are often taught to accept period pain as a normal part of being a woman. This leaves many of us feeling like we’re dealing with a difficult experience on our own.

 

In July 2025, the actress from Daisy Jones & The Six revealed she was hospitalized for a hernia. This happened because she had been wearing pants that were too tight, causing a gap in her abdominal muscles.

Someone messaged Suki on X (formerly Twitter) asking why she hadn’t tweeted in a while. Her reply was a humorous explanation: she revealed she’d injured herself six months ago by wearing extremely tight pants, causing a hernia, and had been afraid to mention it.

The former star of Beverly Hills, 90210 shared in April 2025 that he was recovering from surgery for a nearly ruptured appendix.

Brian shared in an Instagram video that he recently experienced stomach pain, which led him to the emergency room. He explained that his appendix had a hole in it – it hadn’t fully burst, but was very close to doing so.

He added, “I’m on the road to recovery. It’s not an easy process. This is my first major surgery.”

A Racing Louisville soccer player collapsed on the field shortly after the start of her team’s game against Seattle Reign on September 14th at Lumen Field in Seattle.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Women’s National Team player sat down on the field with a teammate supporting her, and then quickly collapsed. Trainers were called to assess her condition.

After receiving initial treatment from medical staff at the game, Savannah was taken to a nearby hospital for more tests. League officials reported she was in stable condition and fully conscious.

Adam Devine revealed that injuries from being hit by a cement truck as a child continue to cause him problems even now.

“It’s been incredibly difficult,” Devine shared on the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast in 2025. “I experience spasms throughout my body, and doctors recently told me I was facing a life-threatening situation—within the last year, actually.”

He acknowledged that his pain is intermittent, explaining that his body has some minor imperfections and isn’t quite functioning as it should.

A former contestant on The Bachelor went to the hospital in extreme back pain, saying he literally had to crawl because it was so bad. The pain flared up during a road trip with a friend while they were traveling in an RV.

He described a lingering tingling sensation in his knees and toes during a March 2025 episode of his podcast, Trading Secrets. He explained that just a few weeks or a month prior, he was able to squat 295 pounds, but now he can’t even do a squat or stand on one foot without falling. He compared the feeling to having a stroke.

But with the help of a back specialist and some steroids, he added, “We’re on the mend.”

Gina Kirschenheiter from The Real Housewives of Orange County revealed that her ex-husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, had a heart attack in March 2025, but he is recovering well.

In March 2025, the actor from 30 Rock experienced a medical issue at a New York Knicks game and had to be taken out of Madison Square Garden in a wheelchair.

The comedian later posted on social media to explain that he hadn’t been feeling well due to food poisoning, but was now recovering.

In February 2025, the former Even Stevens star revealed she was shot in the face during a birthday outing with her husband, Brendan Rooney. They were on a trip to go clay pigeon shooting when the incident occurred.

Oh my god, you will NOT believe what happened! We were at this party, and some people started shooting, but like, completely recklessly! A bullet actually hit ME in the face! I was so scared! But then, Brendan Rooney – Brendan! – he was incredible. He instantly checked me over, figured out what was going on, and just rushed me to the hospital. Turns out I was hit five times! FIVE! And one bullet… one bullet was SO close to my eye, literally less than an inch away. Brendan saved my life, I swear. He’s my hero!

I was really worried to hear about what happened, but Ron Stoppable – I mean, Will Friedle – explained that a tiny piece of something got stuck behind his eye. The doctors think it’s too dangerous to try and take it out with surgery right now, but they’re keeping a close watch on him, and thankfully, he says his vision is still perfectly fine. It’s scary, but I’m so glad he’s okay and can still see!

The actress expressed immense gratitude for surviving and shared a heartfelt message about cherishing loved ones. “I’m so thankful for my daughters, husband, family, and friends,” she said. Recounting a moment where she felt her life pass before her, she urged everyone to hug those they care about, emphasizing how quickly things can change.

Amy Schumer is grateful for the internet, despite its often negative side, because it helped her discover a health issue. After noticing she looked “puffier” during interviews, Schumer was surprised when doctors began commenting on her appearance online, suggesting she might have Cushing syndrome. They pointed out changes in her face that prompted her to realize she’d been receiving steroid injections after a breast reduction and C-section. These injections ultimately led to her diagnosis of Cushing syndrome, something she wouldn’t have known about without the online feedback. In a recent newsletter, Schumer shared that she’s relieved to learn her condition will resolve on its own and that she is healthy.

During a game in December 2024, an AHL player was accidentally cut in the face by another player’s skate and needed 25 stitches to close the wound. After his son made a full recovery, New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald shared with ESPN how relieved they were, saying, “We feel very fortunate, and I wouldn’t want any parent to go through that.”

In March 2022, Hailey Bieber experienced a frightening health scare while having breakfast with her husband, Justin Bieber. She suddenly began to have stroke-like symptoms, struggling to speak and noticing her face drooping. Although these symptoms eventually passed, she went to the hospital for tests. Doctors discovered she had a small blood clot in her brain, which they identified as a TIA, or transient ischemic attack. Further investigation at UCLA revealed Hailey had a hole in her heart, called a patent foramen ovale (PFO). This hole allowed the blood clot to travel to her brain, causing the TIA. Hailey has since undergone a successful procedure to close the hole in her heart and is now doing well.

As if 2022 wasn’t challenging enough, Justin also faced a health crisis around the same time as I did. He was diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which temporarily paralyzed part of his face. It was really scary to watch, and he bravely shared a video explaining how it affected him – he couldn’t blink, smile, or even move his nostril on one side. He even mentioned it was becoming difficult for him to eat. Thankfully, after a lot of care and support, the paralysis resolved. I was so relieved, and he’s doing really well now. It was a random and frightening situation, but he’s fully recovered, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.

Jamie Foxx initially kept the details of his April 2023 hospitalization private, but he later shared what happened. He described having a severe headache one day while in Atlanta and asking for aspirin. Before he could take it, he lost consciousness and doesn’t remember the next 20 days.

He first saw a doctor who gave him a cortisone shot and sent him home. However, his sister, Deidra Dixon, was worried and took him to the hospital, where doctors discovered he’d had a brain bleed that caused a stroke.

After surgery, it took 20 days for Jamie to regain consciousness. He woke up on May 4th in a wheelchair, unable to walk, and then went to Chicago for rehabilitation and therapy.

He expressed his gratitude for the prayers he received, saying, “I needed every prayer.”

The reality TV star shared that she briefly stopped breathing while running in the first challenge of the NBC competition show, describing the experience as feeling like ‘dying’.

She shared on the show Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser that her memory of the event was fragmented. She recalled hearing a helicopter, feeling like she was floating, and then seeing her grandfather. After that, she remembered only darkness, followed by light, leading her to realize she had died that day.

She explained that her organs were failing. She hadn’t known she had rhabdomyolysis, a condition where the body essentially begins to shut down.

Emilia Clarke, known for her role in Game of Thrones, revealed a harrowing health battle in a 2019 essay for The New Yorker. While filming the show, she experienced a sudden, severe headache while at the gym, which quickly escalated. She described feeling violently ill and realizing something was seriously wrong with her brain.

A hospital scan revealed she had suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage – a life-threatening stroke caused by bleeding around the brain – due to a ruptured aneurysm. She immediately underwent surgery to repair it, but the pain was excruciating. During her recovery, she experienced aphasia, leaving her unable to speak coherently.

Though the aphasia eventually passed and she was discharged after a month, a 2013 scan revealed the aneurysm had grown and required a second surgery. This procedure was unsuccessful, leading to a massive bleed and putting her life at risk. Doctors had to perform a more invasive surgery, accessing her brain directly through her skull.

Fortunately, Emilia reports she has now made a full recovery and is doing well.

Oh my gosh, I’m so relieved to hear Cori Broadus, Snoop Dogg’s daughter, is doing better! She went through so much – a really scary stroke back in January 2024, and it all happened so fast. She actually texted her family, sent a picture, and immediately everyone rushed to be there for her. It’s just amazing how much they love her. She ended up staying in the hospital longer than expected because of some other health issues – she has lupus, and her kidneys were starting to fail on top of everything else. Can you imagine?! But she’s a fighter! She told Will Marfuggi from TopMob News that she’s doing great now. She had to work on getting her motor skills back, but honestly, she says she’s fine! I’m just so happy she has such an incredible family and is on the mend. She’s so strong!

Shailene Woodley struggled with health issues throughout her 20s. In a September 2024 podcast interview, she explained that she experienced hearing loss, extreme fatigue, and digestive problems. Doctors offered various diagnoses, leaving her feeling confused and unwell.

Because of her background in holistic medicine and herbalism, Shailene sought help from both traditional doctors and alternative healers, hoping to find answers and regain comfort in her body.

The search for a solution took ten years. During that time, her physical discomfort led to anxiety around food and, eventually, issues with body image and self-identity.

Fortunately, Shailene’s health eventually improved. “It was a journey that ultimately physically resolved itself, and I am very healthy,” she said. She’s now happy to be feeling well again.

Read More

2026-01-14 23:19