Jay Leno reveals the surprising question he was asked about wife Mavis

When Jay and Mavis Leno promised "in sickness and in health," they really meant it.

The comedian and former late-night host, who's been married to wife Mavis Leno since 1980, got candid on the response people have had to his commitment to Mavis amid her battle with dementia.

Mavis Leno, 79, suffers from "dementia, major neurocognitive disorder," her physician wrote in a 2024 doctor's capacity declaration. In January of that year, Jay Leno filed to be appointed conservator of his wife's estate amid her diagnosis.

During a Jan. 10 appearance on the "Life Above the Noise with Maria" show, Leno said he was once asked about the future of his love life following Mavis Leno's illness.

"This is the most Hollywood thing. A guy said to me, 'So, are you going to get a girlfriend now?'" Leno, 75, recalled to host Maria Shriver. When Leno told the unnamed man that he'd been married for 45 years, he said the person replied, "Yeah, but you know what I mean."

"You take a vow when you get married, and people are stunned," Leno reflected. "They're so shocked that you live up to it. Why?"

He continued: "That used to be the norm, and then when you strayed, that was the out-of-whack part. Now, the out-of-whack part is fairly common, and staying and doing what you're supposed to do is stunning to people."

Dementia, an umbrella term encompassing a "collection of cognitive, functional and behavioral symptoms," typically causes short-term memory loss. Other symptoms include repeating questions, misplacing items and struggling with everyday activities like managing medications, cooking and using technology.

Even with the difficulties of caretaking, Leno said he's glad he's "passing the test" of supporting his longtime spouse.

"I haven't really been tested in my life. I wasn't in the army; I didn't have to shoot anybody," Leno said. "This is that thing of, 'OK, you've been pretty lucky up to this point. It's been easy sailing.' This is where it gets a little tricky."

The "Tonight Show" alum said he's been surprised by how much he enjoys taking care of his wife.

"Changing somebody is not the most romantic thing you can do," Leno joked. "But you realize it doesn't get more intimate than that. I just find myself going, 'OK, this is not that bad.' I enjoy going home. I don't take the long way home."