Celebrity talk show host Jay Leno fell while trying to walk to a Hempfield restaurant last week, badly bruising his face and eye, according to reports.
The former “Tonight Show” host told “Inside Edition” that he was staying at a Hampton Inn about 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh and that he fell while walking to a restaurant close to his hotel.
He said he suffered multiple injuries but told reporters in Los Angeles that he is fine and “it isn’t a big deal.”
Leno, 74, performed at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg on Friday while wearing an eye patch.
Daniel Stainer is director of marketing at Westmoreland Cultural Trust, which operates the Palace Theatre. Stainer said Leno’s professional and dedication was on full display Friday night.
“The poor guy falls down the hill four hours before the show, and he still puts on the show,” Stainer said. “The saying goes ‘the show must go on,’ and he did it. What a classy professional.”
Leno told “Inside Edition” that he broke his wrist, lost a fingernail and is “all black and blue” from the fall. Leno said his face and the left-hand side of his body are bruised. His left eye is swollen shut.
In another interview with TMZ on Monday, Leno said he did not have a car. He said staff at the hotel gave him walking directions to the restaurant.
Leno told TMZ that he decided to take a shortcut down a hill but slipped and fell while making his way. The specific restaurant he was heading to remains unclear.
“The hill doesn’t look that steep, about 60, 70 feet,” Leno told TMZ. “Let me see if I can down there … (he screams) and then I fell down, boom, boom, boom.”
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During his tumble, Leno said he “hit a bunch of rocks.” He performed three hours later at the Palace Theatre.
Stainer said Leno was staying at the Hampton Inn Greensburg off Route 30. A hotel staff worker on Wednesday was not aware of Leno staying there.
Leno said he was treated in the hospital upon returning to his home in Los Angeles.
Stainer said the cultural trust wishes Leno a speedy recovery and hopes he returns for another show in the future.