Jay Leno poses for portrait at BritWeek’s Luxury Car Rally Co-Hosted By The Petersen Automotive Museum at Petersen Automotive Museum on November 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Rodin Eckenroth / Getty Images)
By Lorri Wickenhauser January 15, 2025 at 6:10pm
Tinseltown celebrities have been in the news as wildfires have roared through multiple communities in the Los Angeles area.
“Chicago Fire” actor Brian J. White was part of a group that made a citizen’s arrest of a suspected arsonist.
“Saturday Night Live” alumnus David Spade caught the news media’s attention by offering a $5,000 reward for turning in arsonists.
There were also reports of comedian and former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno serving up meals to emergency responders.
TRENDING: Comedian Jay Leno stepped up to support Los Angeles County first responders on Monday, serving meals to firefighters who have been tirelessly battling massive wildfires in the region for several days.pic.twitter.com/Q4R9Ft7s9K
— Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) January 14, 2025
“We’re cooking for the crew, and you guys if you’re hungry,” he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper and his camera crew during an interview Monday. “We’ve got a big barbecue going.”
Leno explained that he arranged for the hot meals after he learned the firefighters were being served box lunches.
“We figured, ‘Let’s get some hot food,’” he told Cooper.
In addition to volunteering, should celebrities help fund recall efforts for Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom?
Jay Leno: It’s Good to Have Your Own Firetruck if You Live in L.A. pic.twitter.com/aH2TQJUncO
— Alexandra Datig | Front Page Index 🇺🇸 (@alexdatig) January 14, 2025
Leno, an avid auto collector, even showed up in his own fire truck.
“Wait, you brought your own fire truck?” Cooper repeated.
“It’s good to have your own fire truck when you live in LA,” the comedian quipped.
He said he loaded the truck up with food Sunday and served meals at the Rose Bowl before repeating the effort Monday, and added that he and his crew would continue serving meals for the next several days.
Leno told the story behind how he happened to acquire the 1941 American LaFrance Fire Truck on his show, “Jay Leno’s Garage.” That show aired on CNBC starting in 2015 and moved to YouTube in 2022.
The comedian said the scale of the damage, with more than 10,000 buildings destroyed, is “unbelievable.” He compared the devastation to that of Hiroshima or 9/11.
However, he told Cooper the disaster has brought out the better side of people, with “neighbors meeting neighbors they’ve never met before and people all pitching in.”
He said the disaster has prompted people to set aside their differences to a degree not seen since 9/11.
“The sense of community,” he told the broadcaster. “For three or four days, everybody put aside their political beliefs and who’s on your lawn on a sign and all that nonsense,” he marveled.
“And it’s happening here today. I mean, it’s a shame that’s what it takes.”
Forbes reported Wednesday that numerous actors, rock bands, and sports teams — among others — have pledged millions of dollars to help those impacted by the fires.
Lorri Wickenhauser has worked at news organizations in California and Arizona. She joined The Western Journal in 2021.
Lorri Wickenhauser has worked at news organizations in California and Arizona. She joined The Western Journal in 2021.
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