Thousands of jobless turn out for free Leno show

Auburn Hills -- "God bless Detroit," Jay Leno told an audience of cheering, unemployed workers Tuesday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. "You guys created the middle class. Because of your unions, you could buy the products you made."

The host of NBC's "Tonight Show" was speaking to a crowd of 15,000 mostly unemployed, underemployed and retired workers who had lined up in sleety weather for the first of two free "Stimulus Plan" shows Leno announced last month to buck up local spirits. The second show, set for tonight, was added after tickets for the first one were snapped up so fast.

"I am so glad he's doing this," said Elaine Stephens, 62, of Oak Park, who arrived early for Tuesday's show. "We get a chance to go out and do something, and everybody is in good spirits even though we're broke!"

At the end of a breakneck hour and 20 minutes in which Leno only stopped his barrage of jokes long enough for a sip of Evian water (while joking about the water), he asked that the house lights be turned on so he could see the audience. When the comedian praised Detroit's industry and grit, the assembled jumped to their feet as one and gave out a roar.

"This is one of the great industrial cities," Leno said, to loud cheers. "This is a city that actually makes a product! During World War II your fathers and grandfathers made a bomber an hour at Willow Run, faster than the Germans or Japanese could shoot them down."

Introduced by Kid Rock, Leno came out at 8:30 p.m. already snarking, calling out: "Hello, Detroit...oh! I mean Auburn Hills. I am SO sorry!" to intense laughter.

He was referring to the mini-firestorm that erupted when Martha Reeves of Detroit's City Council took exception to Leno performing the free shows in Auburn Hills, complaining that it "wasn't Detroit."

"That really made me laugh," Leno said backstage before the show. "I do the 'Tonight Show' in Burbank, but we call it Hollywood. I've never heard anyone complain about that. To people in Los Angeles, Auburn Hills is Detroit. Somebody's always mad about something. I did speak to Martha and she was very nice."

Leno famously loves and collects cars, and while most of his show consisted of jokes on all topics, he often came back around to automotive subjects, making fun of the British voice that says "Jag-u-ar" on TV ads and skewering Lexus commercials.

Backstage, when a reporter brought up the subject of GM teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, the comedian barked: "GM's not bankrupt yet! I was there today actually, I saw a lot of good product. This is one of the great American cities. You guys are too close to Detroit, when you don't live here you appreciate it more. ...

"This is the city that created the middle class with unions and all that. It's the city that won World War II."

Leno also visited Chrysler, and plans to make a trip to Ford headquarters today.

Leno's populist feelings came to the fore as he chatted backstage before the show, dressed in jeans and a blue denim shirt.

"In China, you have an 8-year-old making sneakers for two bowls of rice a day and $60 a week, that's what you're competing with," he said. "I find it odd that people who make $50 million a year are bitching and moaning about someone who makes $50,000 a year, including benefits."

Last year Leno bought two American cars, a new Corvette and a new Dodge Challenger, because "I'm a rich guy, and I can buy anything I want, and these are world class cars." He raved about GM's Volt, which he drove Tuesday while visiting with design chief Ed Welburn.

Outside the Palace, Jodie Coghill, 40, of Dearborn, a laid-off automotive designer, was asked what she would say to Leno if she had the chance.

"Just tell him thanks,"Coghill said. "It breaks up the monotony of looking for a job, to be able to come out here."

Coghill, her husband Kevin, and friends Keith and Marlene Kish of Milan (all unemployed, except for Kevin, an underemployed wedding photographer) carpooled together to the show. They dined on $1 sliders and $1 beer across from the Palace at the Post Bar, and it was the couples' first dinner out in four months.

"That's nice," said Leno backstage, told of Coghill's thanks. "I just don't think it's fair. These are the hardest working people in the world. Something happened that knocked it all out of balance.

"When I was a kid, the little guy had a Ford Falcon, the middle manager had a Ford Galaxie, and the boss had a Galaxie 500 XL. Now, the little guy has a beat-up '72 Nova and the boss has a Rolls Royce Phaeton. All of a sudden it just went crazy!"

Leno stressed that he doesn't think people should buy American cars "because you feel sorry for a situation," but because the products are top-notch.

The quality wasn't always there, Leno admits. "I used to do those jokes, 'Buy a K car, some assembly required,' " Leno said. "But now you're got real engineers, real sophisticated braking and steering ... and pretty good fuel economy, too."

The "Tonight Show" host (he has 60 more shows before he starts a new NBC prime-time show) said he'd been doing similar shows around the country since 9-11, and hearing President Obama ask Americans to pitch in to help others was an influence as well.

Leno didn't make any jokes about the Detroit Lions, a staple of his "Tonight Show" monologues. But he took the bait when a reporter asked him before the show, what happens if they start winning? "Pie in the sky, come on!" Leno exclaimed. "Do you think they can repeat that perfect season (last year) again? Not for lack of trying!"

Fans started streaming into The Palace of Auburn Hills parking lot around 4:30 for the concert, and despite having to line up outside in a snow squall, spirits were high. Parking was free, and everybody got a free Pepsi inside.

Before the show, Stephens said she hoped that Leno will have something for everybody. "Just like Oprah gives away cars to the first two rows, I hope Jay gives us jobs!" said the Daimler Chrysler retiree. "We're paying part of our medical, and they're about to ask us to pay more. That's OK, we'll do our part."

Terri Schlagel, 54, of Rochester left her job as a graphic designer at General Motors 10 years ago to raise her three children. "I can't get a job at 54, so I'm going back to school, to OCC to get a nursing degree," she said. "I will graduate the same time my 16-year-old graduates from high school."

With three kids, "I'm usually in bed by the time he comes on," Schlagel said, so she was happy to get a chance to see Leno.

Sixty more shows, and that will change with Leno's new 10 p.m. start time.

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