Jay Leno says people are "so shocked" he's stayed by his wife's side after her dementia diagnosis
The 75-year-old former late night talk show host has stood by his wife Mavis - who was diagnosed with advanced dementia in early 2024 - but admitted some people seem surprised he's stuck to his marital vows.
18 January 2026
He told the Life Above The Noise With Maria Shriver podcast: "I've said this a bunch of times, you take a vow when you get married and people are stunned...
They're so shocked that you would live up to it."
Jay married Mavis, now 79, in 1980 after meeting at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.
In April 2024, he was granted conservatorship of her, following her diagnosis with the illness - which causes a decline in thinking, memory, and reasoning skills - but it appears some people expected him to move on.
He added: "My favourite thing was - this is the most Hollywood thing. A guy said to me, 'So, are you gonna get a girlfriend now?'
"'Well no, I have a girlfriend. I'm married. Married 45 years.' 'Yeah, but you know what I mean.' "
The TV veteran pointed out he and his wife are "kinda in this together", even if society seems surprised when you're "just doing the right thing because you're supposed to".
He said: "That used to be the norm, and then when you strayed that was the out of whack part.
"Now the out of whack part is fairly common, and staying and doing what you're supposed to do is stunning to people."
Meanwhile, Jay previously admitted he's thankful his wife hasn't forgotten him because of her condition.
Back in November, he told Today: "I understand what it is, so you can't blame someone...
"She's not forgetting me. That hasn't happened yet. She seems extremely comfortable now. And she seems happy, and she seems contented. It's actually okay. It's good. I enjoy taking care of her...
"I enjoy her company, like if I'm working on a car, she'd sit over there with a book and read.
"It was just very - well, it still is, very comfortable. Before she had this, I would always go home after the Tonight Show, cook dinner for her, and we'd watch TV. The only difference is now you just can't really talk about a lot of things...
"You know, I can see the smile. I can tell when she's happy. And when she looks at me and smiles and says she loves me, I mean, I melt."
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