Jay Leno's Comedy Stimulus Plan Brings Free Laughs to Detroit

Detroit hasn't exactly been a symbol of prosperity as of late — the state of Michigan has the highest rate of unemployment in the nation (12 percent in February), and the city's is even higher. Jay Leno is sympathetic to Motown's pain, and while he can't provide jobs for everyone, he was able to provide a little much-needed relief in the form of laughter.

Leno, a well-known car aficionado (just check out Jay Leno's Garage), held a free show to show support for the vast numbers of unemployed auto workers. About 15,000 came out for the show, and while Leno had planned to only do the one show, it was such a success that he added a second night, bringing the number of free tickets to 30,000. His audience was thrilled to have the chance for a night out — many hadn't done anything "just for fun" in months.

Those who came out definitely got their free money's worth, and then some. Kid Rock, a native of Detroit, showed up as a surprise guest introduced the comedian, who said as he came on stage, "God bless Detroit!" After that, he could hardly get the show started over the audience's chant of "Thank you, Jay!"

Prior to the show, Leno told a reporter, "These are the hardest-working people in the world, and I think they're getting screwed." During the show, he drew more cheers by saying, "This is one of the great industrial cities. 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."

Leno's set lasted nearly an hour and a half, but the funny man isn't just talk. Last year, he added a new Corvette and a new Dodge Challenger to his car collection and said, "I'm a rich guy, and I can buy anything I want, and these [American-made cars] are world-class cars." On this trip to Detroit, he's already visited the GM plant and Chrysler, and will visit Ford on Friday.

Leno had already bragged about the Chevy Volt, saying, "I think it will be great. I think you'll find that the Volt will be a superior package to the Prius." He tried it out on this visit, and his attitude hasn't changed — perhaps we'll see another American vehicle added to his garage soon!

The comedian might have called for God to bless Detroit, but I know a lot of people in the area who think he's the one worthy of being blessed. It just goes to show you that a kind deed, even if it doesn't fix someone's circumstances, can still go a long way!

Photo courtesy of Larry Marano/Getty Images