Jay Leno has suffered “serious burns from a gasoline fire,” the comedian revealed in a statement to Variety and Deadline Monday.
“I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet,” he said.
People reported earlier Monday that the comedian, 72, canceled a performance at The Financial Brand’s Forum 2022, a conference in Las Vegas, as a result of a “serious medical emergency.”
“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,” an email sent to Forum 2022 attendees on Sunday and obtained by People stated. “All we know is that he is alive, so our prayers go out to him and his family tonight.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Leno’s representative and The Financial Brand for comment and further details.
Leno has been open about his health challenges in the past, speaking with USA TODAY in 2019 about managing his high cholesterol, which he was diagnosed with over two decades ago.
Leno said he urges people to seek out qualified physicians rather than taking advice from “your idiot friend down the street who says, ‘oh, my uncle had that.’ “
“Go to a doctor, and find out what (medicine) you should take and maybe augment that with laughter,” Leno said. “Laughter (alone) is a terrible medicine, it doesn’t do anything. It’s amusing and fun, but as a medicine it just sucks.”
Leno hosted “The Tonight Show” from 1992 to 2014. In fall 2021, he began presiding over a nationally syndicated revival of “You Bet Your Life,” the comedy game show made famous more than a half-century ago by legendary comedian Groucho Marx.
“I’m thrilled to be hosting the latest version of ‘You Bet Your Life,’” Leno said in a statement in September 2020. “One of my favorite things to do is talk to regular people and draw humor out of them. This is a comedy show wrapped in a game show that allows me to do just that.”
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