The joke was on Jay Leno as comedians saluted the former ââ¬ÅTonight Showââ¬Â host Sunday when he received the nationââ¬â¢s top humor prize.
Jimmy Fallon, Jerry Seinfeld and Wanda Sykes celebrated Lenoââ¬â¢s famous work ethic and poked fun as he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington. Garth Brooks, Kevin Eubanks and Chelsea Handler also paid tribute.
The show will be broadcast nationally Nov. 23 on PBS.
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Fallon, who replaced Leno this year on ââ¬ÅThe Tonight Showââ¬Â after Leno stepped down for the second time, said it was a good time to honor Leno, ââ¬Åa man who has done so much for NBC, so much that we had to celebrate his career on PBS.ââ¬Â
On the red carpet before the show, Leno, 64, said ââ¬ÅThe Tonight Showââ¬Â years were the best of his life. He said Fallon is bringing ââ¬Åa new dynamicââ¬Â to the show, and ââ¬Åitââ¬â¢s fun to see it change.ââ¬Â
ââ¬ÅThe truth is, my time was done,ââ¬Â Leno said later in accepting the prize. ââ¬ÅWhen I left ââ¬ËThe Tonight Show,ââ¬â¢ I didnââ¬â¢t leave dead broke like Bill and Hillary. I was able to save.ââ¬Â
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The award honors people who have had an impact on American society in the tradition of Samuel Clemens, the writer, satirist and social commentator better known as Mark Twain. Past honorees include Carol Burnett, Ellen DeGeneres, Will Ferrell and Bill Cosby.
Leno said he had no idea this award was coming and that other honors are phony because people campaign for them.
Leno built his career in standup comedy and still makes more than 100 live performances each year. He inherited the ââ¬ÅTonight Showââ¬Â from Johnny Carson in 1992, beating out David Letterman, and was the top-rated late-night host for years.
Handler and Sykes, two leading female comedians, thanked Leno for giving them wider exposure on late night TV. But some ribbing also was in store.
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Handler said Leno visited the Smithsonian over the weekend and tried to donate a zip drive of all his jokes, but the museum wouldnââ¬â¢t take them.
ââ¬ÅWhen I first heard that Jay was getting this Mark Twain Prize tonight, which is a huge honor, I found out it was for humor, and I was a little bit confused,ââ¬Â she said. ââ¬ÅI wasnââ¬â¢t sure what the connection was.ââ¬Â
Sykes said she nearly didnââ¬â¢t make it to Washington.
ââ¬ÅOn the plane, I sneezed twice, and everybody gave me the stink eye,ââ¬Â she said. ââ¬ÅThis Ebola stuff is getting a little out of hand. Itââ¬â¢s a little scary. Iââ¬â¢m going back to just black. Iââ¬â¢m not African anything.ââ¬Â
Seinfeld said heââ¬â¢s been friends with Leno for 38 years and that the longtime NBC funnyman was his idol.
ââ¬ÅThereââ¬â¢s no one more deserving to get this wonderful award obviously than Jay,ââ¬Â Seinfeld said. ââ¬ÅNo one ââ¬â except and I really donââ¬â¢t want to sound bitter here ââ¬â except maybe me? I mean come on.ââ¬Â
Garth Brooks said standup seemed pretty easy after tossing a few zingers at Leno.
ââ¬ÅI love Jay,ââ¬Â he said. ââ¬ÅI love Jay because success didnââ¬â¢t give him a swell head. Nature did that.ââ¬Â
Leno didnââ¬â¢t leave TV for long. Last week, NBC announced that heââ¬â¢s developing a new show from his Los Angeles garage about his other great passion: cars. ââ¬ÅJay Lenoââ¬â¢s Garageââ¬Â will premiere on CNBC in 2015.
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