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Former The Tonight Show host Jay Leno made headlines recently when he was spotted sporting some nearly facial injuries in addition to a broken wrist and missing fingernail. Leno clarified that the injuries were the result of an ugly tumble down a hill. But the extent and specifics of the injuries led some fans down a conspiracy rabbit hole.
Fans suggested that Leno had instead been beaten up. With some even joking that he owed a gambling debt or crossed paths with the wrong mobster. Unfortunately, the truth is often far less interesting than reality. Leno explained that he was walking down a hill near a hotel outside of Pittsburgh in an attempt to reach a local restaurant. He slipped on the hill and tumbled down what he believed a “60-foot hill.”
Now, thanks to some impressive work by Reddit sleuths, we know not only that Leno was telling the truth, but we know exactly where and how he likely fell.
The Pittsburgh subreddit solved the Jay Leno hill mystery. pic.twitter.com/FlGb3E8pod
— kindlad69 (@Kindlad69) November 21, 2024
Reddit User Explains Exactly Where And How Jay Leno Suffered Major Injuries
“The Inside Edition reporting was lazy and they showed a picture of the incorrect hillside Jay Leno fell down, so I did some of my own journalism to bring you the accurate story,” Redditor Pure-Statement-8726 posted.
“He was staying at the Hampton Inn in Greensburg, PA because he was performing later that day at the Palace Theater in downtown Greensburg. Many people are confused as to why he’d be staying at a Hampton Inn, but that’s one of the only hotels in the Greensburg area. The only other option would be an hour drive away in Pittsburgh,” he continued.
“Jay wanted to eat at the nearby Dino’s Sports Lounge (a popular area eatery that specializes in buffalo chicken wings) prior to the show. To walk to Dino’s you’d either have to walk 750ft on the road (not a mile and a half as Jay mentioned), or you could shave off 350ft if you walk down the grassy hillside.
“Jay noticed a dirt path worn into the hillside (as is common around the Pittsburgh area) so he attempted to take the shortcut and walk down the hill. Since the path was rough, not maintained and eroded away, he tripped and rolled down the hill, hitting his head on the exposed rocks and earth on the way down the hill.”
“Jay was remarkably accurate as he estimated the hill to be about 60ft. After measuring, the hill is 56 feet from top to bottom.’
Adding the measurement is just the cherry on top of the cake. That’s detective work that would make Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler jealous.
Thankfully, Leno seems to be recovering well. Because it seems as if he must have taken quite the tumble.