Widely characterized as “the hardest working man in show business,” Leno is also a best-selling children’s book author, much-in-demand corporate speaker, lovable TV and movie voice-over artist, pioneering car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist.
Jay Leno’s late night television ratings domination included more than two decades of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” winning every consecutive quarter of his hosting over the past 19 years. After resuming hosting the 11:35 PM program following its one-time interruption, he made it once again the consistent and uninterrupted ratings leader for late night, once again leading all of the ensuing quarters handily, under the supervision throughout of executive producer Debbie Vickers. He has been honored by the Television Academy with an Emmy for “Outstanding Comedy, Variety or Music Series.” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” has also taken home the trophy for “Favorite Late Night Show” in the annual TV Guide Awards determined by voting viewers, and he was recently installed in the Television Academy's Broadcast Hall of Fame.
As if night-time dominance were not enough, Leno has also succeeded in the newest entertainment arena. “Jay Leno’s Garage” of which he is a producer as well as star.The NBC creation, which is viewed on CNBC, gained an international following on the Web, not to mention an Emmy Award and two additional nominations for Outstanding Special Class–Short-Format Nonfiction Programs. Leno, himself, is the recipient of the People’s Choice Award and other honors, including the Harris Poll selection as most popular star on television. He was also inducted into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences’ Broadcasting Hall of Fame, received the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2014, the Hasty Pudding Award at Harvard University, an honor whose sole prior comedy/talk host recipient was Johnny Carson and an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Emerson College, among several other accolades.
Having passed the torch of Tonight Show succession to Jimmy Fallon, Jay Leno has increased his customary busy schedule of comedy performances in top venues around the United States and occasionally abroad, continues his web venture relating to his passion for automobiles and is in consideration of the many other applications of his time and talents which have been offered or which he is personally evolving. "He interrupted these pursuits to make his first trip to Israel for the honor of presenting the Genesis Award, Israel’s equivalent of the Nobel Award, to Michael Bloomberg.