Jay Leno Takes Pay Cut, Tonight Show Staff Let go

18 Aug, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Published reports say The Tonight Show has laid off about two dozen workers and host Jay Leno has taken a large pay cut to save the jobs of other staffers.

The moves are part of a restructuring to save money at NBC. NBC Universal imposed the cutbacks Friday, according to reports in The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times. Both newspapers cited an unnamed person familiar with what happened.

The layoffs and Leno’s salary concessions were first reported by Deadline Hollywood, a website that tracks the entertainment industry.

NBC Universal declined comment.

The network has been losing money, increasing the pressure to cut expenses under corporate parent Comcast Corp.,

A spokesman for Leno says the late-night show host did what he thought was necessary to protect his staff.

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