Still rolling: Leno celebrates 15 years as "Tonight" host

BURBANK, Calif. — Jay Leno, marking his 15th year as host of "The Tonight Show" today, understands his role with NBC's late-night institution the way a good comedian knows timing.

"Tonight" isn't his; he's just borrowing it.

"The real trick is you never really do own these shows. You try not to screw it up for the next person," Leno said. "It's like the America's Cup [sailing trophy]. You want to win it and you want to keep it No. 1, and when it's over you say, 'Whew, OK, your problem now.' "

The only one who could rightfully stake a claim, he said, was Johnny Carson, who presided over the NBC program for 30 years (1962-92) as its third high-profile host and the most enduring.

The late-night ratings leader isn't making a big deal of the anniversary. But Leno's planned a few surprises for tonight's show, and NBC has set up a Web site where viewers can create their own "Tonight" music video and promos.

In an interview this week, Leno was low-key about the event. He spoke just after he'd taped a show and bolted for his vast warehouse garage a few miles away, where he stores his collection of rare cars and motorcycles.

That's one of his primary passions. Others include his wife, Mavis, a human-rights activist, and "Tonight."

"That's the real key to this [the show]. It's not that you can't have a life. It just needs to become your life," said Leno, 57.

The persona he's known for is eager to toil, not so eager to blow his own horn. That attitude is the legacy of his mother, Catherine, who advised that "whatever you do, don't call attention to yourself."

"I always assume I'm not as bright as the next guy, so if I work a little harder I can sort of win," Leno said. "That's why it says 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,' not 'starring Jay Leno,' " he said — that was Carson's billing.

Given how hard Leno fought to get "Tonight" and how much he puts into it, he's oddly sanguine about his not-too-distant departure in 2009 ("Late Night" host Conan O'Brien, who has Leno's endorsement, will take over).

Setting an end date, he said, slams the door on a repeat of what he and his chief rival for "Tonight," David Letterman, endured as NBC dithered over filling Carson's chair.

Leno had been the sole guest host since 1987, but that didn't forestall a messy selection process and aftermath in which Letterman jumped from NBC to CBS.

"I don't want to see anybody go through what we went through," Leno said.

He adds: "Dave's always been a gentleman. There's never, never been any bad words between us," although he concedes each may have targeted the other in jokes.

Letterman's contract with CBS' "Late Show," signed last year, will keep him on the air through at least 2010.

Under Leno's stewardship, "Tonight" has plotted a safe and steady course. There have been changes, including a monologue that's doubled in size to about 11 minutes, more comedy bits and skits and less time for interviews.

Critics lament that Letterman would have sharpened the show's satiric edge. But the ratings have been with Leno, whose average audience of 5.8 million viewers tops Letterman's by 1.6 million.

"Tonight" still has cachet. It's been a forum for apologetic stars (most notably Hugh Grant after his arrest with a prostitute), for an actor announcing his run for California governor and for a parade of would-be U.S. presidents.

So why leave so soon, compared to Carson? And in what will be season 17, not exactly a nice round figure?

"I'm not a big numbers guy," Leno says with a shrug. "Conan is sort of waiting in the wings for his thing. How long do you expect people to wait in the wings?"