Once again, NBC has decided to go younger with The Tonight Show, so once again, Jay Leno’s final week as host brings out the big guns.Guests for Jay’s final week include Jimmy Fallon, Betty White, Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Blake Shelton, Garth Brooks and several more surprises. One guest who won’t be a surprise, though, is Billy Crystal.
Crystal was Leno’s first guest when he took over The Tonight Show and he will will help Leno close out his run on his last show. For more, check out the press release after the jump.
ALL-STAR GUEST LINEUP SET FOR FINAL WEEK OF ‘THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO’
‘Tonight Show’ Heir Jimmy Fallon Visits Feb. 3 While Billy Crystal, Who Was Leno’s First-Ever Guest, Bookends the Show With a Trip Back on Final Night (Feb. 6)
Other Guests in the Last Week Include Betty White (Feb. 3), Matthew McConaughey (Feb. 4), Sandra Bullock (Feb. 5), Blake Shelton (Feb. 5), Garth Brooks (Feb. 6) and many surprises
BURBANK, Calif. — Jan 19, 2014 — Jay Leno announced today that he will kick-off his last week of guests for “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” with his heir to the “Tonight Show” desk, Jimmy Fallon on Monday, Feb. 3. Leno will conclude his incredible 22-year run with a return visit from his first-ever guest, Billy Crystal, who joins Leno on his farewell night, Thursday, Feb. 6.
Leno’s final show as host will feature both Crystal and music from country superstar Garth Brooks. Crystal visited Leno on the host’s first night at the helm of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on May 25, 1992.
Fallon will be followed by 91-year-old TV icon Betty White, who will be making her 19th appearance.
The guest schedule for the rest of the week includes:
Tuesday, Feb. 4: Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Matthew McConaughey will chat with Leno and will be joined by NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who is making his 24th visit.
Wednesday, Feb. 5: Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock is set to take to the “Tonight Show” couch and will be joined by “The Voice” coach and Grammy Award-winning country singer Blake Shelton.
In addition to Brooks, the musical guests for the week include Lyle Lovett, who will appear on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Lovett is currently tied for the most appearances made by a musician. Vintage Trouble will also appear during the week.
Leno opened his first monologue as host “The Tonight Show” with a joke about Vice President Dan Quayle’s concerns about “Murphy Brown’s” title character becoming a single mother.
“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” has never strayed from its tradition of booking the top celebrities, musicians, politicians and newsmakers, keeping its audience on the cutting edge of pop culture and current events. In March 2009, the show made history when it hosted the President Barack Obama, who remains the only sitting president to appear on late-night television.
Leno took his place behind the “Tonight Show” desk in May 1992 and has consistently ranked #1 among the broadcast networks in the time slot since 1995. Leno has won his last 71 consecutive quarters versus CBS’s “Late Show” in total viewers, dating back to the third quarter of 1995, and has won 69 of his last 70 quarters in viewers 18-49. In the fourth quarter of 2013, “Tonight” reported its biggest adult 18-49 audience (1.1 million viewers) and biggest overall audience (3.8 million viewers) in three years and was up versus one year ago in every key ratings category.
“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” is from Big Dog Productions in association with Universal Television. Debbie Vickers is the executive producer.
Photo courtesy NBC