Jay Leno has responded to those who ask why he hasn’t left his wife amid her advanced dementia.
The late-night icon defended his partner of 45 years, Mavis Leno, whose dementia diagnosis was made public in 2024.
He first opened up about Mavis’ declining health in November, revealing that he carries his wife to the bathroom and that she sometimes “points to something and says something that doesn’t quite make sense.”
Jay Leno shared that people are “stunned” he has stood by his wife’s side following her dementia diagnosis
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More recently, he spoke about Mavis during an episode of Maria Shriver’s Life Above the Noise podcast.
The former Tonight Show host admitted he was quite surprised by some of the reactions he has received after announcing his wife’s diagnosis.
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“You take a vow when you get married, and people are stunned, they’re shocked when you live up to it,” Leno said.
“My favorite thing — this is the most Hollywood thing — a guy said to me, ‘So are you going to get a girlfriend now?’”
Leno said he replied, “‘Well, no. I have a girlfriend. I’m married.’ We’ve been married 45 years, you know what I mean? [We’re] kind of in this together. You can’t go, ‘Honey, I’ll be with my girlfriend, I’ll be back later.”
Some have even asked the famous late-night host why he didn’t “get a girlfriend”
Image credits: Maria Shriver/YouTube
The TV icon said he remains by his wife’s side throughout her health battle because it’s “the right thing” to do.
He noted that morally questionable decisions have become normalized, so when someone honors a promise or commitment, it can cause confusion among some people.
“Staying and doing what you’re supposed to do is stunning to people. ‘Why do you do that?’ ‘Well, we kind of made a deal.’”
Image credits: Maria Shriver/YouTube
Leno’s comments deeply resonated with Shiver, the niece of late President John F. Kennedy, given that her father, Sargent Shriver, was diagnosed with dementia in 2003.
She is also the executive producer of The Alzheimer’s Project, a 2009 docuseries that won two Emmy Awards.
Shiver stressed that millions of people take on the role of caregivers for individuals with dementia—a condition that affects more than 6 million Americans—and that their work often goes “unseen.”
Leno and Mavis, an activist, have been married for 45 years
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Leno agreed, adding that he doesn’t view the “test” life has given him as a burden if it allows him to support his wife’s wellbeing.
“I haven’t really been tested in my life. I wasn’t in the army. I didn’t have to sh**t anybody. So this is that thing,” he said.
“I’m glad I’m passing the test, because you never quite know what you’re going to do in that situation, or any situation. So I like to think I made the right decision.”
The 75-year-old was granted conservatorship over Mavis’ estate in April 2024, three months after her diagnosis was revealed.
In November 2025, the comedian shared an update about his wife’s health in the Today Show. He explained that while her memory has declined, she still recognizes him.
“She’s not forgetting me. That hasn’t happened yet. She seems extremely comfortable now. And she seems happy, and she seems content. It’s actually okay. It’s good. I enjoy taking care of her.
“You get married and you take these vows, nobody ever thinks they’ll be called upon to act on them, you know?” he continued. “You know that part for better or worse. But even the ‘worse’ is not that bad.”
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While Leno shone as host of the Tonight Show for decades, Mavis worked behind the scenes for different non-profit organizations. In 2002, the San Francisco activist earned a nomination for a Nobel Peace Prize for supporting women in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s regime.
Mavis’ condition has not taken a “toll” on Leno, but he said it’s devastating to see his wife experience distress caused by loops in her memory.
For instance, he described how Mavis being reminded of her mother’s passing was especially difficult, as each time she felt like she was receiving the news for the first time.
Leno said Mavis still recognizes him and laughs at his jokes despite her advanced dementia diagnosis
“Probably the toughest part was every day she’d wake up and realize someone had called today to tell her her mother had passed away. And her mother d*ed every day for, like, three years. Not just crying, I mean, you’re learning for the first time. And that was really tricky. Yeah, that makes it hard.”
Leno said he enjoys his wife’s company when he’s working on a car and she sits nearby reading a book. He also likes watching TV and travel videos on YouTube with her.
The late-night star noted that Mavis still expresses her love for him, despite the changed dynamic in their relationship.
“When I’m carrying her — you know, carry her, like, to the bathroom — we do this and I call it Jay and Mavis at the prom, you know, in high school. So, we’re just, like, back and forth. And she thinks that’s funny.”
He added, “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.”
“Mavis picked well,” one user concluded after Leno described how he handles his caretaking responsibilities
