Jay Leno is teasing the future of late-night television by declaring an unlikely new frontman in a sit-down interview with Deadline published Wednesday. "I mean, podcasts really are the new talk show.Joe Rogan is the new Johnny Carson," Leno told the outlet. While crowning the new king of talk, Leno pointed to Rogan’s ability to host interviews that included meaningful conversations — something that he believes is lacking in modern-day television shows."Joe talks to everybody about everything," Leno told Deadline, adding, "There’s no FCC to step in and say what you say and can’t say, so you really do get an unfiltered idea of what everybody thinks.
So yeah, I mean, to me, that’s what’s also changed late-night."JOE ROGAN'S FIVE MOST NOTEWORTHY MOMENTS THAT SHAPED AMERICA IN 2024Jay Leno attends the private unveiling of the Meyers Manx electric automobile at Little Beach House Malibu in Malibu, Calif., on Aug.8, 2022.
(Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)Although Leno departed the "Tonight Show" in 2014, the comic said he has remained busy while adapting to the changing media landscape — including hosting the YouTube show, "Jay Leno's Garage." "The day ‘The Tonight Show’ ended, I was back on the road the next night in Florida for five nights, and that’s what I do now," Leno said."So for me, nothing really has changed.
People always think, ‘How’s retirement?’ Well, I’m not retired.I do 200 dates a year, and I do think I do a good show.
I’ve got a few other things going on, like the ‘Garage’ show, that I enjoy.I have a good life after late-night."JAY LENO LAMENTS THAT MODERN COMEDY IS OVERSHADOWED BY THE 'OUTRAGEOUS' SOCIETY WE LIVE INJoe Rogan attends an executive order signing in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 2026.
(Allison Robbert/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty Images)Leno blames the loss in popularity of late-night television partially on the amount of ads aired during each show. "H...