Jay Leno Shares How Removing Politics From His Stand-Up Routine Led To Increased Ticket Sales

Legendary comedian and talk show host Jay Leno recently defended his reason for removing political topics from his shows.

According to the 75-year-old, he has seen a spike in ticket sales since he made the move, as people don't like being lectured to.

Jay Leno also got candid about being a caregiver to his wife, Mavis, revealing the most challenging part of caring for her is tied to the way she relives the moment she was told her mother had died.

The veteran comic has admitted that he got rid of politics from his stand-up comedy shows, and it has led to a boom in ticket sales ever since.

According to Leno, this is because he is no longer alienating "a third" of his audience with remarks about what and what not to do politically.

"I’m on the road a lot. I just took politics out of it, completely. I know ticket sales are up 20, 30 percent, just because nobody wants to be lectured," he admitted on the "Today" show.

Leno further noted that it's easier for hosts to share more political jokes on their TV shows, but when it comes to stand-up sets and having to tour around the country, it's necessary to tone down the rhetoric.

"When you’re on TV, and you can play directly to your audience, and there’s a laugh track," Leno stated. "When you go to Indiana or Kentucky or any other place in the country, you’re always going to have a third of the people who don’t agree with you politically. So why even go there?"

Leno also got candid about the challenges he faces caring for his wife, Mavis. The TV personality described a "heartbreaking moment" she has relived every day for three years to host, Hoda Kotb.

"The toughest part was that, every day, she would wake up and realize someone had called to tell her her mother had passed away," he recounted, per The Blast. "Her mother died every day for three years. And not just crying, you're learning for the first time."

He continued, "That was really tricky, that was really hard."

Mavis's diagnosis came to light after Leno moved to secure a conservatorship over her estate in January last year, citing severe cognitive impairment.

They've been married for over 45 years and have some shared rituals amongst themselves, but her ailing health has seemingly rattled everything, with Leno revealing that their conversations have changed because they "can't talk about a lot of things."

The "Jay Leno Show" host described how she'll point and "say something that doesn't make sense," or would usually ask about all sorts of noise from the outside, saying she wants to be "reassured that everything is OK."

Elsewhere in his chat with Kotb, Leno acknowledged that his wife's condition may soon change and may get to the stage where she can no longer recognize him.

"I understand what it is, so I don't — you can't blame someone. She's not forgetting me, you know. That hasn't happened yet. She seems very — I mean, she seems extremely comfortable now," Leno said.

"And she seems happy, and she seems contented. It's actually OK. It's good. You know, I enjoy taking care of her," he added.

Court documents for Leno's conservatorship claimed that Mavis sometimes did not recognize him, although they stuck to some of their rituals, which include going for dinner and date nights at the comedy club.

When one's loved one battles dementia, it can have a tolling effect on their partners, but Leno explained that he tries to keep a sense of calm even though Mavis can no longer do what she loved doing.

Mavis used to be a well-known activist and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for fighting for the rights of Afghan women under Taliban control. She used to be a really independent woman before her diagnosis, but Leno shares that she now "really needs" him as he strives to continue being by her side.

"I wish I could take her out and go out to eat and things like that, but you can't really," he said, adding that they "will get some help and take her out to the car and drive around and look at stuff."

"I feel bad because it reaches a point where she loves to travel, so I'm sad she can't do those things," Leno noted.

Leno had to weigh in on the role he played, taking care of his wife amid the constant chatter suggesting he sees it as work.

While speaking with People Magazine at the 34th Annual Love Ride earlier this month, the former late-night host shared that he loves taking care of Mavis and expressed gratitude that he has the means to cater to her and her medical bills.

"I've been very lucky in my life. My wife is fighting dementia and all that, but it's not cancer. It's not a tumor, so I enjoy taking care of her," he said, before going on to address a misconception about their relationship.

"It's not work, because people come up, and say they feel so sorry. I understand the sympathy, because I know a lot of people are going through it, but it's okay," Leno continued.

"I like taking care of her. I enjoy her company, and we have a good time. We have fun with it, and it is what it is," the comedian added.