While Jay Leno isn't set to exit "The Tonight Show" until next year, Ellen DeGeneres said her goodbyes on Wednesday night. After 32 prior appearances, this was going to be her final interview on Leno's show before he leaves, and so she wanted to talk about what an impact he's had on her life.
“You were so supportive all the time," an emotional DeGeneres told him. "You always tried to help me in every way. Gave me great advice, gave me ideas with jokes and, actually, Jay is responsible for me being booked on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Johnny Carson, because you told the booker, Jim McCawley, to stay at The Improv and watch me. You said, ‘This girl’s great ... so thank you very much for everything you’ve done. You’re amazing. You’re a good guy.”
She then presented Leno with a going away gift -- a denim Snuggie. DeGeneres said that it combined his every day outfit of denim-on-denim with his new, retired lifestyle. She then ended her inteview with a kiss. It was a callback to when she came on "The Tonight Show" shortly after coming out publicly back in 1997 and planted a kiss on the host to prove that a kiss was just a kiss.
Of course, this may not be the last time the two get together. We're pretty sure the door is open for Jay Leno to drop by "The Ellen Degeneres Show," weekdays in syndication (check local listings). For now, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" continues on weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC.
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