Top-rated TV host to preside over World’s Funniest Cop Competition at ASLET Conference
------------------------------
“Ventriloquist leaves town-heads of 2 dummies missing”
“Tuesday, May 11-A woman in the 6600 block of Dockside reported her cocker spaniel missing. He returned about two hours later when he found out police were searching for him.”
--from Jay Leno’s book, “Police Blotter: Real-Life Crime Headlines”
------------------------------
After tuning in to the nightly news with its dose of grim reality, millions turn to Jay Leno as an antidote to help them weather the world and enjoy a few laughs before calling it a day at the end of a night. Following in the footsteps of legendary hosts at the helm of NBC’s Tonight Show, he has crafted a fusion of farce with feel-good entertainment to gain entree into homes in the hours when people want to wind down. His “everyman” style and nice guy personality appeal to a politically diverse public that, in 1999 and 2000, voted The Tonight Show with Jay Leno the Favorite Late Night Show in the annual TV Guide Awards.
Much of his dialogue is derived from stories that appear in the popular press, as he points out the idiosyncracies of life and ridicules the ridiculous. He has ventured into the world of cops and robbers with a collection of humorous clips included in his book, Police Blotter: Real-Life Crime Headlines. (Proceeds go to various charities.) A staunch supporter of law enforcement, he was chosen for an award given to him by the LAPD.
He isn’t afraid of patriotism and has traveled overseas-last year to Bosnia to perform for military troops associated with the war in Afghanistan. In 1995 he went to Italy, where he entertained troops assigned to assist with the peacekeeping efforts undertaken in Bosnia.
Acclaimed as one of the nicest and hardest working people in show business, Leno has been host when The Tonight Show has garnered two Emmy Awards. Born in New Rochelle, New York, he grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, and showed an ability early on for upbeat observation. Although he earned a bachelor’s degree in speech therapy, he pursued a career in comedy and progressed from noisy and unknown nightclubs to venues such as Carnegie Hall and Caesar’s Palace.
He first appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in March 1977, and continued to make numerous appearances on that show and on Late Night with David Letterman. He became the exclusive guest host on The Tonight Show in 1987.
Now recognized as one of the premier comedians in the country, he has appeared in hundreds of shows over the past 20 years. Despite the rigors of hosting a nightly show for the past 10 years, he remains passionate about performing in front of other live audiences, and still appears regularly in Las Vegas and on college campuses.
His New York Times bestselling autobiography, Leading with My Chin, has been praised for inducing laugh-out-loud humor without resorting to back-stabbing tactics. He has published four versions of Headlines, a compilation of newspaper favorites that have been produced in book and desk calendar formats.
Captain Greg Meyer, of the Los Angeles Police Department and an ASLET Board member, was instrumental in contacting Leno and coordinating the visit.
The 2003 seminar will mark the second appearance of the World’s Funniest Cop Competition, after a hiatus this year due to the events of September 11 (and the Board’s decision to expand the training sessions in anti-terrorism). At the premier contest, held in Orlando in 2001, Detective Dan Whitehurst of Nashville captured top honors.
The competition is tentatively slated to take place Thursday, January 9 at the 2003 ASLET Conference in Ontario, CA. (For more information call the ASLET national office at 301-668-9466, or check for updated details at www.ASLET.org) All members are encouraged to participate. There is no entry fee. So hone your humor and vie for being the rage on the California stage.
Ontario promises to be a winning combination of professional training and fun, made more exciting by the appearance of award-winning top-rated host, Jay Leno.
2003 ASLET Conference Information:
ASLET International 2003
16th Annual Training Seminar & Exhibits
January 7-11, 2003
Ontario, CA