Former Tonight Show host Jay Leno seeks conservatorship for ailing wife Mavis' dementia

Comedy legend Jay Leno seeks conservatorship for wife Mavis' estate, after she is diagnosed with dementia.

The wife of Jay Leno, the former host of ‘The Tonight Show’, has been diagnosed with dementia and he is seeking to be her conservator.

Jay Leno faces tough choices amid wife Mavis's dementia battle(Charles Sykes / Invision / Associated Press) (AP)

Leno, who is 73 years old, filed a petition in a Los Angeles court on Friday to ensure that his wife Mavis Leno’s estate plan is carried out properly, as she “presently lacks the necessary capacity,” the court documents reveal.

The court has set a hearing date for April 9.

The court file says…

The filing states that Mavis, who is 77 years old, has been experiencing a gradual loss of capacity and orientation for several years. Her doctor confirmed that she “suffers from dementia, major neurocognitive disorder,” and described the deterioration of her cognitive function in a capacity declaration.

Mavis’ condition was revealed more than a year after Leno sustained severe burns on his hands, face and chest while working on one of his classic cars in November 2022. He had to undergo two surgeries, including a surgical excision and grafting.

A few months later, in January 2023, Leno was involved in a motorcycle crash that left him with multiple fractures.

‘Jay is fully capable’ to handle Mavis

The former'Tonight Show' host expressed his desire in the petition to manage his wife’s share of their joint property and her assets in a trust, which would benefit her, her brother and himself. The couple has no children, and she has no other siblings.

The petition also states that Leno “has always handled the couple’s finances throughout the term of their 43-year marriage, and will continue to do so until his passing,” adding, “Jay is fully capable of continuing his support for Mavis’s physical and financial needs as he has throughout their marriage.”

Leno and Mavis met at the Comedy Store in the 1970s and tied the knot in 1980.

In a 2019 interview with People, Leno joked that the secret to his long-lasting marriage is “not screwing around.”

“You can leave your underwear on the doorknob for the rest of your life if you don’t screw around,” he said.

He also shared a more serious advice, saying, "I always tell guys when they meet a woman, ‘Marry your conscience. Marry someone who’s the person you wish you could be and it works out okay.’ "