'The Jay Leno Show' July 25 at Freedom Hill to benefit Beaumont - The Macomb Daily

Jay Leno will be cruising into Sterling Heights on Saturday.

The comedian is coming to Freedom Hill Amphitheatre for a single performance of “The Jay Leno Show,” benefitting ConQuest and Beaumont Health System’s Digestive Health Center of Excellence, in the diagnosis and treatment of Crohn’s and colitis.

Why this fundraiser?

“They asked me,” he said during a phone interview from his garage in Burbank, California.

“I do a lot of benefit shows and it’s not that this one is more important than brain cancer or the eye bank,” he said, in that funny nasal voice that kept people glued to their television sets long after their local news was over. “It just worked out.”

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Leno’s performance will not only raise money for a worthy cause but increase awareness.

“This event means a lot to me,” said Emily Lynch, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s at the age of 9 and started a support group for children ages 8 to 18 at Beaumont Hospital Royal Oak several years ago.

After graduating from high school, Lynch headed to Denver, Colo., to pursue her dream of working on a horse ranch. However, she plans to return to her home state in time for the Freedom Hill fundraiser.

“A lot of people don’t like talking about Crohn’s and colitis because it’s gross and embarrassing. But it’s not going to be cured until people know about it. This event raises awareness; it brings people together,” she said.

It’s one of hundreds of shows Leno will do this year.

Having passed the torch of Tonight Show to Jimmy Fallon has enabled the comic, author, television and movie voice-over artist to increase his schedule of performances in nightclubs, theaters and venues like Freedom Hill.

He loves testing his humor live on audiences and, while that has not changed during his illustrious career, his audiences have.

“In the old days you had to change your material to suit your audiences but not anymore. Everybody has access to the same information,” Leno said.

“But when you do these kind of gigs, especially a benefit for a big crowd you tend to do what you know will work, your hits,” said Leno, who visits Detroit at least twice a year.

“It’s always fun,” he said. “I’ve done shows with eight security guards for 20,000 people and not one incident happened. They’re wonderful people.”

Leno has always been supportive of Detroit, going so far as to do a benefit show during its economic downturn. Partly because he is a nice guy but also because as pioneering car builder and mechanic knows its industrial and luxurious history.

“I like Detroit because of places like John King’s Bookstore downtown and that it has tall buildings with five or six floors, not 60 stories,” he said.

It’s also home to many of the automobiles featured on “Jay Leno’s Garage,” a popular web series about cars and the people that own them.

“I have about 135 cars and 116 motorcycles,” said Leno, who admitted he could never pick a favorite among them. “Some cars I like just because they’re a unique example of American history.”

Or Leno’s history, as a teenager living in rural Massachusetts, who had a knack for fixing clunker cars that would otherwise rust away in the farmer’s fields including a 1958 Renault.

“We used to drive it around the yard,” said Leno, recalling how he first became interested in cars. Besides being mechanically inclined, Leno said seeing his friends driving their own cars to town, as he pedaled the 20 miles on a bicycle provoked his interest even further.

That was Leno at 16.

Now he’s 65.

And cars are still a source of comedy and entertainment.

“I’m not a bucket guy list,” Leno said. “I’m happy at this point. I have enjoyed every part of this (career or ride if you’re a car guy).”

The gala event will be emceed by Roop Raj, a news reporter from WJBK-TV (Channel 2). Doors open for general admission and guest seating at 7:30 p.m. Attendees will be able to peruse a car show featuring vehicles from local collectors including the Lingenfelter Collection. Best-in-show will be announced following the performance with the winner getting a chance to meet Leno.

Tickets at $25 for lawn and $35 and $50 for pavilion, are available online at reedomhill.net or by calling 1-888-929-7849. Freedom Hill Amphitheatre is at 14900 Metropolitan Parkway in Sterling Heights. Call 586-268-9700 or visit freedomhill.net

For more information about Beaumont Health System’s Digestive Health Center of Excellence visit conquestcrohns.com/

"The Jay Leno Show" July 25 at Freedom Hill to benefit Beaumont - The Macomb Daily