Jay Leno returned to perform stand-up comedy Sunday night for the first time since a fire in his car garage left him with burns on 7% of his body.
Speaking with reporters outside the Comedy and Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California, Leno made light of the accident and his injuries, assuring the cameras, “I feel good,” and quipping, “I never thought of myself as a roast comic.”
He also joked that his comedy set will come with some varietal options, saying, “We’ve got two shows tonight: regular and extra crispy.”
The comedy icon has been in recovery for the last two weeks and was released six days ago after a round of procedures at the Grossman Burn Center. Over his 10 days at the center, Leno spent time in a hyperbaric chamber and underwent skin-graft surgery for burns to his face, chest and hands.
“Jay would like to let everyone know how thankful he is for the care he received and is very appreciative of all of the well wishes,” the Grossman Burn Center said in a statement previously provided to TheWrap.
Speaking with patrons outside the comedy theater, NBC reported that Leno was onstage for over an hour’s worth of material.
“He looked great, and he had lots of stamina,” one attendee from the show said.
“He came out, he was full of energy, smiling all the time, just told joke after joke after joke,” another enthused.
Leno is reportedly due for additional stand-up comedy appearances in the coming weeks.
