Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is being awarded a $1 million prize for his philanthropic efforts today (May 22) but comedian Jay Leno, host of the ceremony, has stolen some of his media spotlight.
Leno, who is on his first trip to Israel, received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The television celebrity is in town for tonight’s Genesis Prize ceremony in Jerusalem.
The 64-year-old Leno told reporters that he considers both Bloomberg and Netanyahu fair game for zingers and jokes.
In an interview with The Associated Press in Jerusalem, the former host of ‘The Tonight Show’, who stepped down in February, said he was enjoying retirement.
“Write joke. Tell joke. Get check. It’s pretty simple. It’s not a hard plan,” he joked in an interview with The Associated Press.
Leno also dropped a good word about Israel.
“I’m a huge supporter of Israel and always have been,” he said. “It is a democracy in the Middle East and I don’t like to see the little guy getting picked on by the big guy.”