WILMINGTON — Seven years after Jay Leno hung up his late-night chops after hosting “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” the comedian is hitting the road and will be bringing laughs to the Port City next spring. This time Leno is touring with the comedy quiz series “You Bet Your Life.”
The Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College will welcome the touring game show on April 22, 2022, at 7:30 p.m., with tickets going on sale this Friday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. Contestants — two teams of two players per show — have to answer four questions in one category, each increasing in monetary value from $250 to $500 to $750 to $1,000. They can then risk their winnings in a double-or-nothing question or walk away without anything. Leno opens the show with a standup bit, and at the end, a random audience member can answer a question for a prize as well.
The show first debuted with host Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers on ABC Radio in 1947 before moving on to CBS Radio, then to NBC-TV and NBC Radio. It eventually was renamed “The Groucho Show” before going off the air in 1960, thereafter becoming syndicated. It was revived three times, before debuting with Leno as the host last month.
Leno has had a career as a stand-up comedian, best-selling children’s book author, TV and movie voiceover artist, car builder and mechanic, and philanthropist.
Wilson Center noted in a press release it expects “You Bet Your Life” to be a full-capacity event and will adhere to all local and state Covid-19 guidelines. Tickets will be available starting Friday at www.WilsonCenterTickets.com or by telephone, 910-362-7999, and in-person sales from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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