Jay Leno Takes $5 Million Pay Cut To Help Employees

Los Angeles, CA (WIBX) - Through a spokesmen Jay Leno says his "foremost concern is for the wonderful people who work for 'The Tonight Show.'"  And he is putting his money where his mouth is.

Leno is taking a five million dollar pay cut so that NBC does not have to fire employees in the wake of budgetary changes taking place at the network.

About twenty staffers were laid off on Friday as Comcast, the new owner of NBC Universal, tries to curtail spending.  And while some say that because of Leno's current $25-30 million annual salary the television host will not "starve" because of the pay cut, many say that the gesture has made a significant difference in the lives of those who will now be able to keep their jobs.

Some have joked that the cut will mean fewer cars in Leno's driveway.  The car and motorcycle enthusiast is known as much for "Jay Leno's Garage" as for his show on NBC.

Other senior staffers on the show took pay cuts as well.  The "Tonight Show" employs about two hundred people in Los Angeles.