Jay Leno finally has a Ferrari in his Garage

Hmmm, I don't think so.. A friend and I met Jay several years ago at Pebble.. I just walked up and started talking to him and he was very cool.. we traded a couple of Viagra jokes, he added his autograph to my event poster and we parted ways. I saw him in passing the next day @ Laguna Seca, and he asked how the Viagra was doing!

Fast forward a few years and my friend bumps into him again @ Pebble.. they chat and he ask's my buddy "how's you're viagra bud from DC?" Seems like a very cool guy to me!

Hey you keep call this guy a jerk, you wouldn't happen to be looking in the mirror when you say that would you?

 

I've met Jay and he seemed like a "regular guy" to me (we were both shopping vendor's booths at Concorso Italiano). The folks you listed only make me tend to like Jay a little more, not less.

 

It was reported that not long after Carson retired, there was a spat about a parking space at NBC. Leno, a well known car guy took over Carson's parking spot. Now - if any of you have ever been on a production lot in Burbank, or NY, you have some idea about the value of a private parking space. Carson retired, but never gave up his space! He gave up his studio, his dressing room, but never his parking space. Carson drove himself to the studio most every day as well.

Well, Jay was coming in to town with various costly vintage cars, and he was relegated to parking a fair distance from the studio they worked in. Apparently, one day someone did some minor, and accidental damage to one of his collector cars, and Leno spoke up about it. So, NBC switched the parking spaces between Leno and Carson. The next time Carson visits the lot, he starts ranting about Leno 'taking away his space'. The entertainment media picked this up, got the whole story wrong, and blew it out of proportion. However, what they did get right is that Carson was still pissed at Leno, even though it was NBC that did the deed, and they did it because Leno was working there, bringing in the money and ratings and Carson was yesterday's newsprint, which you know where you can find.

They never really made up, but Carson mellowed a bit in a few years.

The debacle with Conan was again all on NBC chasing the elusive late-night ratings. Leno was a bit player in the thing, but he took all the heat. I don't think he's mind having a 246, or a 250, but it just hasn't materialized yet.

 

Why don't you tell us how you really feel?

Have you seen his collection of cars? I don't think it bothers him one way or another if he ever owns or even drives a Ferrari. He's not hung up on brand names or the mystique of owning a Ferrari. He just likes cars, no matter who made them. And he's got enough money that he can build a huge collection of awesome cars.

 

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts. I've known Jay since the mid-70s, through my brother-in-law who is also a well known comedian, and have to say that Jay is one of the nicest, most gracious people that I've ever met. I've been in his garages several times, and he could not be nicer. I was there a few years back with an auto club group that he hosted, and he literally spent hours talking to everyone, posing for pictures, telling the history of cars, touring his shop. One of the guys in our club sent Jay a car book after the event as a thank you for his hospitality. About a week later, my friend got a personal phone call from Jay (he dialed himself, not some secretary) to thank him for the book and they talked on the phone for almost half an hour.

Jay certainly is a good businessman, and bravo to him if he has driven some hard bargains to get where he is. It's a tough business, and the weak and the meak don't get very far. The fact that he is tough in the business arena doesn't make him a bad person. How he treats other people in the rest of his life is more of a measure for me of the kind of guy he really is -- a true gentleman and an amazing car-lover, regardless of whether he ever owns a Ferrari or not.

 

I realize I was wrong to post about Jay Leno. I didn't realize so many people here still believe he's a nice guy and are still giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I am well aware that he is a weasel, there are several instances of it and they are all well documented.

However, it's not my place to shatter that illusion he has created if so many of you still believe it. I didn't realize how good he is at maintaining it.

I hated him because of what he did even before the whole NBC fiasco but I may have information that a lot of you are not privy to or haven't researched. Some people just know him as a nice guy on tv, has lots of cars, gives some money to charities at car events, etc...

I suppose the intention of the OP was to highlight the fact that this car guy who supposedly never wanted a Ferrari suddenly had one in his garage. However, the conversation got derailed and I didn't mean to hijack it.

I could probably post all the info and truths about Leno on this forum but it would probably ruin the image you have of him so if you enjoy thinking he's a nice guy, continue to do so and god bless.

Please accept my apologies but I won't apologize for not liking Leno and knowing he's a jerk. Only that this was perhaps the wrong place to say it.

 

Exactly. And, I have met him and he's just a terrific person. If I had his money and talent, I would be his clone if I could.

 

If you knew the FACTS about the Leno/Conan issue you would never say Jay sabotaged Conan. Conan screwed himself.

 

People who invested with Bernie Madoff said the same thing at first. LOL!

Anyway, you're 100% right, he's absolutely fabulous, I take it all back. Please forgive me

 

I have never met Jay Leno, I don't have a dog in this fight.

BUT, it's possible that his business dealings are entirely different than his car guy dealings.

That being said, he's a GREAT car guy. Drives 'em, works on them, has an unbelievable love affair with them, if any of the articles and TV shows are true. So no question he's a car nut. Who cares if he doesn't own a Ferrari. He probably doesn't have a lot of Fiats in there either, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't have a Ford Mustang II, either.

so, it's possible you're all right. Great car guy, ruthless businessman. He can be both, right?

 

treedee3d ,
I have known Jay Leno for several years and he is indeed a terrific person. This is not opinion, it's fact. I have yet to meet another celebrity as gracious as he is. I cannot understand how he continues to be as patient and kind and interested for the 1000th person as he is for the first one we meet--this happens all day long, each time I am with him. I meet a lot of celebrities, a lot are self-absorbed or obnoxious or just mean--Jay Leno is none of these things. If he was, I wouldn't continue to associate with him. I don't continue the friendship/association because of his cars or celebrity status or wealth. Rather, I really like him as a person. You would say the same things if you knew what I knew about causes he has supported and the helping hand he extends frequently, but always quietly.

What you have posted here says as much about you as it does about him. Look at what others have also posted, after having spent time in his company, not because of what they read or what they see on TV.

I agree with you about most of his jokes being watered down, but it's only partially his fault. He has to cater to a specific demographic, and that includes overly religious old-timers. If you see some of his stand-up stuff, or if he switches to a later slot, he will be a lot more risque. That's just good business sense.

I get the feeling you couldn't sell him a car or lost out on some deal and are blaming him instead of yourself. That is preventing you from learning the lesson you need to succeed. No loss for anyone else. For the record, though I have never done business with him, a few ideas have been batted around, and he was never less than a complete class act.

 

The statements above make a lot of sense and I think depicts reality a lot better than any of the previous ones.

 

I haven't done any business with him at all and don't claim to. I simply have a lot of information about lies he's told and people he's betrayed. This is not top-secret stuff and anyone can find out about it.

I was brought up in a certain way and my values have guided me to think that people who lie, betray, cheat and steal are not "good" people. Regardless of the fact that they may appear to be friendly, helpful and generous at times and regardless of the fact that they may share a common interest with me such as a passion for cars.

Perhaps it's wrong for me to think this way but I prefer to associate myself with people who don't act in that way and it has benefited me my entire life. Certainly we can all make more money and advance our careers by doing such things but I just can't bring myself to do it and I don't like people who do.

Like I said, I shared that info here and wanted to end the discussion but it seems to keep going so my apologies to the OP once again.

 

It's Hollywood, babe.

There isn't a person in Hollywood who doesn't have some dirt on them.

 

+1

 

Good mindset... he doesn't need to get a Ferrari to have me impressed, anyway.

 

Very true. And, Jay has been a huge Lambo fan since when he was just another stand up comic on the road. We all know that Lambo guys and Ferrari guys rarely see eye-to-eye!

 

true, and he's stated many times his love for his lambos, in particular his red countach, which IIRC he said was his daily driver at one point in time, and with some car, pretty much bullet-proof....perhaps explains why ferraris just aren't his cup-o-tea?

 

HAAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! On the floor dying of laughter....

You despise Stern and Letterman and admire Leno???

Those are 2 indiviudals that are REAL compared to Leno.

On top of that, Leno is constantly stealing bits from Stern and Letterman.

My stomach hurts....wow that was funny, thanks for that!

All of the people you mentionned have their own material and their own shows, they aren't ripping each other off and when they copy something, they own up to it. When Letterman began putting his mother on his show, he admitted that he admired Stern and that he got the idea from him, that's honesty and that's who I respect, not weasels...

PS. Sorry I tought I was done but I went back to read that one and I couldn't resist.

 

I tried to warn you

 

So, are you done now? I think you are in a minority group of one, I thought this thread was about cars and the admiration of one that has many. A Ferrari or not, I don't think any of your commentary was necessary, can we move on please. I hear Ralph Lauren is a puffer, should the homophobes amongst us bash him or can we just admire his collection and leave the personal attacks out of it?

 

Ok, I accept the truce and won't reply if everyone else is also done. No problem

 

More like dying of envy . .

Nice try at changing the topic.

I think it's time for you to either put up your Leno complaints/points, or drop the non-issue.

I stole it from Leno . . .

Oh, you'll be back.