Jay Leno shows off 'brand new face' on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' after recovering from third-degree burns
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jay Leno joked he's having his second homecoming with a brand new face after recovering from third-degree gasoline burns. Less than four months ago, Jay was receiving skin grafts in intensive care for the burns sustained in his garage.
During an appearance on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' on Wednesday, March 1, Jay Leno came with a "brand new face". He joked for the second time in his career he has got a new face for comedy.
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'You made it'
As flames broke out while Leno worked on one of his classic automobiles in November 2022, he sustained serious burns to his hands, face, and chest. He underwent two surgeries, including grafting and surgical excision.
Jay walks to the stage amid thunderous applause in the show's video footage. Jay complained about missing the previously scheduled appearance on the show because of the accident. The show host told him "You made it," to which Jay replied, "yes I made it, last time I couldn't really make it," because of the accident.
'This is a brand new face'
"You look great though!" Kelly said, to which Jay replied, "This is a brand new face." The host added, "Great Job." Leno said, "It is, it's unbelievable," as he went on to explain, "What happened, I was working on a car and I got a face full of gasoline and it caught fire, and I had been eating a flaming hot Dorito and when I bit into it, it set my face on …", as audiences broke into laughter he continued, "It was interesting. It was all third-degree burns, it was pretty bad. It was pretty bad."
"You can't tell at all," the talk show host told him apparently due to his appearance after the tragedy. "No, you think there'd be a zipper here or something," Leno joked, pulling at an imaginary zipper across the bottom of his face. "No, this is like a brand-new face."
'Only for the second time in my career am I the new face of comedy'
He said," Only for the second time in my career am I the new face of comedy. I got a once it was in the 80s now I get it here", he then went ahead saying, "this is a brand new ear."
For the first time since the tragedy, Leno appeared on a TV program in December and discussed the situation in further detail. "It was a 1907 White Steam Car," Leno recalled. "The fuel line was clogged so I was underneath it. It sounded clogged and I said, 'Blow some air through the line,' and so he did." He continued, "And suddenly, boom, I got a face full of gas. And then the pilot light jumped and my face caught on fire." Soon after the accident, he was taken to Grossman Burn Center where he remained for 10-day stays going through different medical procedures.