Jay Leno cares for wife Mavis with dementia, says she ‘still got the fire’

Jay Reno His wife, Mavis, who is battling advanced dementia, shared that she “still set fire” that defined her long before her diagnosis.

The 75-year-old former late-night host has been married to a 79-year-old women’s rights activist and philanthropist since 1980, and the couple had no children. In a new interview with People Magazine, Reno made it clear about accepting his role as her sole caregiver.

“My wife has some issues so it’s just her and me. But it’s always her and I’ve been fine for the last 45 years anyway. I’ve enjoyed taking care of her. It’s fun,” he said.

Jay Reno shared that his wife Mavis still shows her vibrant personality while fighting advanced dementia. (Charley Gallay/Getty Images on Netflix)

“I mean, I enjoy it,” Leno continued. “People say, ‘Oh, that must be scary.’ No, because she’s not suffering. ”

Jay Reno gave his wife Mavis a guardian to diagnose dementia.

“It’s not like a tumor or cancer,” he added. “That’s the confusion that comes with Alzheimer’s and dementia. That’s fine.”

In January 2024, Reno applied for a shelter surrounding Mavis’s property. At the time, Leno said Mavis “lacks the capacity necessary to implement an estate plan” due to “major neurocognitive impairments (including dementia)” according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

Reno has been married to Mavis since 1980. The couple has no children. (Michael Talberg)

He described his “loving marriage for over 43 years” with his wife, but he said he has “always handled the couple’s finances” and wanted to be certain that “Mavis has managed enough assets to provide her with Jay Pressy’s Mavis.”

The Los Angeles judge granted Reno’s petition in April 2024, praising the comedian’s dedication. His wife’s commitment to happiness.

“I think she’s in the least restrictive environment. I think she’s very careful with Mr. Reno,” the judge said at the hearing. People Magazine.

“Everything you’re doing is right,” the judge told Leno. “I fully understand that this is a difficult time.”

Reno was appointed more guardian than his wife Mavis estate last year. (Charlie Galley)

In a recent interview with people, Leno said he finds it rewarding to look after Mavis.

“I enjoy being her rock,” he said. “It makes you feel like you want. You have a purpose now, so that’s a good thing.”

While talking to the outlet, Reno replied a “funny story” about how Mavis had problems with the series of dialogues while it was a recent old episode. “Hawaii Five O” Since the 1960s.

“We saw an episode in which Stanley Holloway plays a tempted genetic scientist,” recalls Leno. “So McGarret goes to see his daughter. He appears to be 40 years old. And he says, ‘What genetic engineering does your husband do?!’ And she says, “Well, I don’t understand that.”

“My wife was really involved in women’s issues,” he said.

“She’s just screaming on TV. She’s still on fire,” Leno said. “It just made me laugh.”

“I was just screaming at McGarrett…but it just made me laugh,” he added.

Reno and Mavis are portrayed at the 16th Global Women’s Rights Awards. (Nina Zakut)

Reno continues to tour as a Stand-up comedian Following Mavis’s diagnosis of dementia, he told people that staying home every night is a priority.

“I go home every day. I went to Puerto Rico for the day [the] The plane waited and I came back soon,” he said. “That’s what I do. I try to go home every night. That’s what I do.”

While appearing in “Deep with Graham Bensinger” in April, Leno reflected what he learned about himself after taking on the role of Mavis’ caretaker.

The Emmy Award winner shared that he has “never been particularly challenged.”

Jay Reno tries to find humor during his wife’s dementia fight

“I wasn’t Army. No one had to shoot,” Leno said. You make some sort of vow…and “Do I respond to this? Or if something happens to my wife, will I be like a sneaky guy, or I’m banging the cashier at a mini mart.” No, I didn’t. ”

He said, “I enjoy time with my wife. I’m fine with going home, cooking dinner for her, and watching TV. That’s basically what we did before.

“I like to take care of her. Somewhere in my life, I think she is a very independent woman, so I like it. I need it.

The couple have been married for 45 years after first meeting at a comedy store in the 70s. (NBC)

When asked what he found to be the most challenging part of caregiving, Reno said, “It’s a challenge, right? When you have to feed someone, change them and carry them to the toilet and do something like that every day.”

“It’s a challenge. And while I’m not enjoying it, I think… I’m enjoying it. It’s fine,” he continued.

“I just have sex with them all, ‘This guy is attractive and sexy’,” he added. “At some point in my life, I am going to be asked to protect myself… I think that really defines marriage, I mean, that is really love, that’s what you do.

“I mean, I’m happy I didn’t cut and run, I’m happy I didn’t run with half my age or that stupid nonsense woman.

Leno and Mavis first met in the 1970s at The Comedy Store, a stand-up comedy club in Los Angeles. During an interview with Los Angeles Times In 2014, Mavis shared how she was instantly attracted to her future spouse.

“It was January – I don’t remember the day. But when I thought, ‘Holy s–! That comedian is gorgeous!”, she remembered seeing Reno. “I was writing comedy with my partner, so I went to a comedy store with my girlfriend. My friend said, “You have to hang out with the comedy store and meet people who can give me work.” When I first went, they sat us in the front row center.

Leno and Mavis are depicted in 1992’s “The Tonight Show.” (via Joseph Del Valle/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCuniversal Getty Images)

Interview from 1987 With people, Mavis explained that he didn’t think he would get married before he met Reno.

“It was a big deal for me, it was part of my intense feminism,” she said. “But with Jay, I began to realize that this was my first time with someone who had the perfect, calm feeling that I had arrived at my destination.”

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In an April interview with Bensinger, Leno recalls his attraction to Mavis’ spirit and independence, and praises her for the qualities he hoped to emulate.

“I always tell people and marry the person you want,” he said.

“That would have been one of us to die if I married another selfish person that I found interesting,” joked Leno. “My wife does a lot of charity and stuff. It worked. I married someone who had the ideal I wanted.”

“She was a voracious reader, a feminist, everything. She’s fighting for women’s rights. I’ve always loved it,” Leno said. “I was attracted to women who wanted to do good things. When I was single, it was teachers, nurses and people. [who] I was there because it wasn’t necessarily a self-organisation. ”

Last year, Mavis was recognized for decades of work with the Feminist Majority Foundation. (Jim Smeal/Ron Galella collection via Getty Images)

Reno also thought about why he and Mavis had no children.

“If she wanted a child, we would have [them]”He told Bensinger, “It wasn’t a big deal for me. If she doesn’t want kids, you know. The good thing is, you can travel as a couple.”

“As a comedian, because if we had kids, she’d be home and I’d be on the road.” Leno was added. “That’s what it is.”

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May 2024, Reno and Mavis attended. The 16th Global Women’s Rights Award Gala from a Feminist majority foundation will award the Mabis Reno Award for Global Women’s Rights. Mavis worked with the FMF for decades and chaired the nonprofit campaign from 1997 to 2019 to end gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

In an interview with Fox News Digital before the event, Leno said their lives are better than ever.

“All of that,” Reno said when asked if his faith and family had recently helped attract the couple. “That’s exactly the whole thing. We’ve been married for 44 years. It’s going to be easy. It won’t be difficult.”

Reno and Mavis are portrayed on stage at the 16th Global Women’s Rights Awards & Gala. (Nina Zakut)

While presenting the award, Leno shared an emotional homage to Mavis after they went on stage together. The host of “Jay Reno’s Garage” suffocated tears when he first saw his wife, describing Mavis as “the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”

“When I saw a young college girl coming out, I had to smile. It reminded me of the young girl I met,” Reno said.

“She had the same fire,” he recalled Mavis. “A few weeks later, I talked about picking up the paper homepage along with her photos. [Mavis]. [I thought] This would be an attractive relationship, and it was. ”

“We have a lot of fun,” Leno added as he hugged and kissed Mavis’s head. “People say Marriage is difficult. I can’t understand. I enjoy her company. I enjoy taking care of her. I’m having fun. She is the most independent woman I have ever known. Again, I couldn’t be proud of her. ”

Reno continues, “I’m part of her legacy and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

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