Jay Leno stands by wife Mavis after dementia diagnosis

Jay Leno remains steadfast in his support for his wife, Mavis. The well-known former late-night talk show host, now 75, reflected on their lasting marriage and the comments he's dealt with regarding her health challenges during a recent appearance on the Life Above the Noise With Maria Shriver podcast.

In the early months of 2024, Mavis received a diagnosis of advanced dementia.

“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 conveyed to Shriver, who is 70, during the episode that aired on Sunday.

Jay and Mavis, now 79, have shared a marital bond since 1980, having first crossed paths while he was performing at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

In April 2024, Jay received conservatorship concerning her condition.

While conversing with Shriver, the comic revealed how some react when he respects his marriage vows.

“My favorite thing was — this is the most Hollywood thing. A guy said to me, ‘So, are you gonna get a girlfriend now?’ ” He shared.

Jay humorously responded to the unknown individual, “‘Well, no, I already have a girlfriend. I've been married for 45 years.’”

The individual persisted, saying to the Jay Leno's Garage personality, “‘Yeah, but you know what I mean.’ ”

Nonetheless, the comedian remained unwavering in his commitment to marriage.

“No, we’re kinda in this together here,” he affirmed. After playfully mentioning telling Mavis he was meeting his “girlfriend,” he reflected on how social norms around relationships have evolved, noting that eyebrows rise nowadays when “you’re just doing the right thing because you’re supposed to.”

“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,” Jay commented.

After over four decades of marriage, he shared his relief that Mavis’s dementia is their most significant obstacle.

“This is that thing of, ‘Okay, you’ve been pretty lucky up to this point. It’s been easy sailing. This is where it gets a little tricky,’ ” he reflected.

Jay further revealed to Shriver that getting Mavis to laugh “is still one of my primary things.”

He reminisced about a time when they were in bed around 2am, and she expressed her love for him.

“I said, ‘You’re having a nightmare, go back to bed.’ She thought that was the funniest thing; she just couldn’t stop laughing,” Jay said. “And to me, that’s what’s fun. ‘Oh, I got a laugh out of her.’ ”