Just six days after being discharged from a burn center following a fiery accident that seriously burned his face, chest and hands, Jay Leno returned to the stage to deliver his brand of comedy, according to CNN.
On Sunday, the legendary comedian was greeted by a sold-out crowd at The Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, California, who were happy to see him return for his regular, evening set.
The venue has served as a home base for Leno nearly every Sunday since the early 1990s, as a place where he can test out new material for his stand-up act and old Tonight Show monologues.
Triumphant return: Jay Leno, 72, returned to the stage for the first time since a fiery accident at his garage seriously burned his face, chest and hands
Leno, 72, was first seen driving up to the club with his beloved wife Mavis sitting next to him in the passenger’s seat.
The funnyman had another unfortunate mishap, as he appeared to scratch up against the tire of a police car with his Tesla, according to TMZ.
When he pulled up there were already lines of people along the sidewalk hoping to get in to see the comedian’s triumphant return in the wake of the the scary accident.
The club’s beachside location has long been a favorite destination for comedians and audience members alike. Many of the top comics like Leno in the industry have and continue to call this their home club.
The staff at the club made a ‘Welcome Back Jay’ sign, which also read ‘We Love You’ on it.
Once inside, Leno and his wife were joined the club’s owner, who sat with them for part of the evening.
Return: A group of media and fans gathered outside the club when he pulled up
Supportive: Leno pulled up to the club with his wife Mavis, who are celebrating their 42nd wedding anniversary on November 30
Beaming: The legendary funnyman was all smiles when he met with the media and fans outside the club
Looking good: Leno chatted with the fans and media before going inside with his wife and the club owner
From the time he arrived, the New Rochelle, New York native looked to be like his old self in good and happy spirits, while the burns to his hands and face appeared to be healing.
He then proceeded to hit the stage and run off a round of jokes, mostly poking fun at himself, all while making light of the accident.
The accident happened on November 12 while Leno was working underneath one of the many vintage vehicles he owns that’s stored at his garage in Burbank.
As he was wrenching away a gas leak ended up setting off an explosion that lit him on fire.
The funnyman was rushed to the hospital with second- and third-degree burns to his face, chest and hands.
Hilarious: Leno didn’t wait to go into the club to start rattling off some jokes with the crowd
Snapping away: People snapped photo after photo as the comedian made his way to the front of the club
Escorted in: Leno was greeted by the club’s owner before going inside to do his show
Making the rounds: Leno answered questions from the media before heading into the club
Home: Leno has been using the club as a sounding board for new jokes since the early 1990s
Miraculous: Leno was released from the burn center just six days earlier
Ultimately, he was transferred to the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles, where he would end up being treated for 10 days, which included two surgical procedures to treat his injuries, according to his physician, Dr. Peter Grossman.
The former Tonight Show host was spotted for the first time since the accident this past Monday when he was saying his goodbyes to the team of doctors, nurses and other specialists at the Grossman Burn Center.
In an interview with ET, Dr. Grossman revealed that Leno suffered ‘significant injuries’ but is ‘doing very well,’ which was seemingly helped by being a ‘strong individual’ with a ‘strong attitude.’
Leno is slated to perform three additional shows at The Comedy & Magic Club in December.
On the mend: The injuries to his hands were visible but looked much better then reported days earlier
Love fest: Leno greeted some old friends and colleagues out front of the clu
Healing: The former Tonight Show host was spotted for the first time since the accident this past Monday
Butt of the joke: Leno eventually went inside and did his show , which included making light of his accident
He will be back for more: Leno is slated to perform three additional shows at The Comedy Magic Club in December
