Jay Leno publicly congratulated Jimmy Fallon after NBC confirmed Wednesday Fallon will replace Leno as host of "The Tonight Show" in New York in spring 2014. "Congratulations, Jimmy," said Leno, who has been "Tonight" emcee for 22 years in Burbank, Calif. "I hope you're as lucky as me and hold on to the job until you're the old guy. If you need me, I'll be at the garage." "Jay Leno is an entertainment icon, making millions of people laugh every weeknight for more than 20 years," NBCUniversal Chief Executive Officer Steve Burke said in a statement. "His long reign as the highest-rated late-night host is a testament to his work ethic and dedication to his viewers and to NBC. We are purposefully making this change when Jay is No. 1, just as Jay replaced Johnny Carson when he was No. 1. Jimmy Fallon is a unique talent and this is his time. I'm thrilled he will become the sixth host of 'The Tonight Show' at exactly the right moment, in conjunction with our coverage of next year's Winter Olympic Games from Sochi, Russia." "I'm really excited to host a show that starts today instead of tomorrow," Fallon, 38, said. The announcement ended weeks of speculation regarding who will replace Leno, 62, and when -- as well as whether Leno's departure was his idea or NBC's. Jimmy Fallon
