Jay Leno reveals reason behind his 'brand new ear' after two major accidents
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jay Leno, the 72-year-old comedian, recently revealed that he has a 'brand new ear' following skin grafts he underwent to repair the damage caused by severe burns he suffered in November 2022 while working on his classic cars.
The Emmy winner shared the news during an appearance on the 'Fly on the Wall' podcast hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade. According to Jay Leno, when a person is burned in a fire, their ears are as delicate as paper, making them susceptible to easy damage.
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'They’re so thin it just goes up'
"This is a brand new ear,' he told his host." Adding, he said, "When you get burned in a fire, ears are like paper. They’re so thin it just goes up" However, he received skin grafts from an unusual source, according to his joke on the podcast. He said that a mohel, a person who performs circumcisions in the Jewish community, gave him a bag of grafts that "work out great."
In reality, Leno's skin grafts came from a cadaver and pig intestines, as reported by People. He also spent time in a hyperbaric chamber to help oxygenate the new tissue for his incredible recovery. Leno's new ear is not the only body part that was repaired following his accident. He also suffered damage to his face and upper body, which required surgery to repair.
In November 2022, during the horrific gasoline fire incident, Leno was repairing one of the classic cars in his garage, and his friend saved his life. Leno smothered his face into his friend Dave Killackey's work shirt until the flames subsided. Within minutes paramedics arrived, and by the next day, Leno had checked into The Grossman Center, treated for burns across his face, neck, chest, hands, and left arm.
'I don’t want to catch fire again'
Two months later, he had a motorcycle accident that caused damage to his "new face." However, he called his surgeon for a touch-up and was able to fix it. "I said, ‘Uh oh. It’s dripping gas. I don’t want to catch fire again. Lemme turn around.’ I turn around in a parking lot and the guy had a wire across a parking lot but with no flag. And the sun was right here. And boom it just hit me."
Despite his injuries, Leno has remained positive and has been taking the stage almost every weekend since his ordeal. He has been scheduled to perform in Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Minnesota, according to his website.
Leno has been a prominent figure in the entertainment industry for years and has been known for his passion for classic cars. He hosted 'The Tonight Show' for 17 years before passing the torch to Jimmy Fallon in 2014. Notably, has always been a car enthusiast and he also hosted the show 'Jay Leno's Garage'.