By India McCarty
Jay Leno says wife his Mavis has “still got [her] fire” amid her battle with advanced dementia.
“My wife’s got some problems, so it’s just her and I. But it’s always been her and I for the last 45 years anyway, so it’s fine. I enjoy taking care of her. It’s fun,” Leno recently told PEOPLE.
The comedian added, “I mean, I do enjoy it. People think, ‘Oh, it must be horrible.’ No, because she’s not in any pain. She’s not suffering. It’s not like a tumor or cancer. It’s just a confusion that comes with Alzheimer’s and dementia. And that’s okay.”
Jay Leno reveals how people react to wife Mavis’ dementia battle: ‘Must be horrible’ https://t.co/kDdgvOl8X4 pic.twitter.com/AvIyI7bHFy
Related: How Jay Leno Chooses Love Amid Wife’s Dementia Battle
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Mavis’ diagnosis of advanced dementia was revealed last year when Leno filed for conservatorship of his wife.
The judge overseeing the case stated, “I think she’s in the least restrictive environment. I think she’s in very good care with Mr. Leno,” and told the former TONIGHT SHOW host, “Everything you’re doing is right. I totally understand this is a difficult period.”
While there are certainly ups and downs to this period, Leno told PEOPLE he still shares funny moments with his wife.
“We watched [a HAWAII FIVE-O] episode where Stanley Holloway plays a genetic scientist who gets kidnapped. So McGarrett goes to see his daughter, who’s like 40. And he says, ‘What kind of genetic engineering does your husband do?!’ And she says, ‘Well, I’m just a woman. I don’t understand such things,’” he recalled.
Leno continued, “My wife was real involved with women’s issues. My wife’s like [makes growling noises]. She’s just yelling at the TV. She still got the fire. It just made me laugh. Just screaming at McGarrett…But it just made me laugh.”
He also revealed that he makes it a point to be home every night, explaining, “I come home every day. I went to Puerto Rico for the day and [the] plane waited and I came right back. That’s what I do. I try to be home every night. So that’s kind of what I do.”
Leno still makes Mavis laugh, too. The comedian told the New York Post that the couple watches YouTube videos of his time on THE TONIGHT SHOW.
“My wife enjoys those, and it’s like she forgets that she just saw it, so she laughs again at the same jokes,” he said, joking, “So for a comedian, that’s great.”
Dementia can be a very difficult disease, but for the Lenos, it looks like the couple are approaching every day with humor.
Read Next: How Jay Leno Copes With Wife’s Dementia Diagnosis
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