EXCLUSIVE: 'Desperate Has-Been' Jay Leno 'Battling to Reignite Ancient Feuds With Rivals Jimmy Kimmel and David Letterman' in 'Comeback War'
Jay Leno is ready to make his return and is using old feuds to grab attention.
May 28 2025, Published 5:55 p.m. ET
Jay Leno is ready for his "comeback war" – and he's taking advantage of his old feuds to make headlines once again.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the former iconic television host is "battling to reignite ancient feuds with rivals Jimmy Kimmel and David Letterman" as he plans to return to the small screen.
Resurfacing The Feuds
Leno, 75, has been out of the spotlight for many years.
Leno, 75, has been out of the spotlight for many years – but he's now ready to make his return and is using old feuds to grab attention.
During a recent episode of the In Depth With Graham Bensinger podcast, the former late-night host name-dropped Kimmel and Letterman.
Despite being enemies, Leno said he'd love to bury the hatchet with his longtime rival.
He said: "I would like to do that. I think I have no problem with it. I think it might be awkward for Dave."
Letterman and Leno have been feuding for years.
As for Kimmel, Leno discussed how the other late-night host called him out for swiping The Tonight Show job back from Conan O’Brien in 2009 during a segment on The Jay Leno Show many years ago.
Leno said: "When Kimmel came on my show and humiliated me on my own show, I let it happen. I didn’t edit it. It was my mistake, I trusted somebody. I went, 'Ah, I made a mistake. Ok, I should pay the price.' And it’s fine, it’s fine. I mean, we could have edited it out of the show."
During the cringe-worthy segment, Kimmel fired off jokes at Leno's expense, which he didn't put a stop to at the time because "because it happened."
Leno settled his feud with Kimmel after he called up the fellow host after his son had heart surgery in 2017.
After a 17-year stint from 1992 to 2009, Leno stepped down from hosting The Tonight Show, and O'Brien replaced him as host.
Leno left to launch his own show, The Jay Leno Show, but ratings were terrible, as they were for The Tonight Show.
NBC decided to bring Leno back to The Tonight Show, which caused O’Brien's exit – but it resulted in a massive amount of backlash from the industry.
Despite the brutal jokes, Leno settled his feud with Kimmel after he called up the fellow host after his son had heart surgery in 2017.
Kimmel has said he "made peace" with Leno due to the gesture.
Life Off The Air
Leno is currently taking care of his wife, Mavis, who is battling dementia.
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Back in January 2024, Leno filed for conservatorship of his wife's estate, citing her declining cognitive abilities due to dementia.
The court granted Leno conservatorship in April 2024.
He publicly stated that he is committed to caring for his wife and providing her with the best possible treatment.
During the podcast interview, Leno admitted he "likes" that he is needed amid his wife's battle, but an insider accused him of "painting himself as a martyr and a good guy who understands the criticisms."
The source added: "It seems a bit transparent that he’s playing the benevolent victim who forgives the guys who wronged him. He thinks it will change public perception and reopen the doors that have been closed to him in recent years. But it’s not enough to turn the clock back to when he was a star."
After many years off air, the insider claimed: "These days, Jay is more famous for getting his face half burned off in a garage fire than being remembered as a TV host."
Back in November 2022, Leno sustained serious burns to his face, hands and chest after his vintage car erupted in flames.
Leno said he's willing to make amends with his rivals.
