Video: Jay Leno says goodbye to 'Tonight Show'

Jay Leno hosted his final episode of NBC's "The Tonight Show," saying goodbye Friday night to the broadcast institution he's led for 17 years.

After a lengthy ovation from the studio audience, Leno joked he was moving "to a secluded spot where no one can find me -- NBC primetime."

NBC is giving Leno a 10 p.m. talk show in the fall. Acknowledging the move is a "gamble," Leno said he's "betting everything that NBC will still be around in three months, but that's not a given."

Throughout the opening of the show (ratings below), Leno betrayed no special sentiment -- no tears or even a choked-up voice. (Finale episode review here).

"When we started the show," Leno said, "my hair was black and the president was white."

Conan O'Brien was Leno's final "Tonight" guest, with James Taylor as musical guest. O'Brein takes over hosting duties of "The Tonight Show" on Monday.

Here's O'Brien talking with Leno about when first learned he was going to join NBCs late-night lineup...

And here's Leno saying his goodbyes at the end of the show...

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Leno thanked the likes of pop star Michael Jackson and former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, whose affair with Bill Clinton led to the former U.S. president's impeachment, for giving him material over the years

He concluded with a tribute to the "Tonight Show" staff, many of whom stayed with the program throughout his 17 years and even married their co-workers. The show's many couples had 68 children between them, and Leno said his legacy would be that the show had spawned such a close-knit group of friends.

Leno said the show's former host, late-night television legend Johnny Carson, had taught him one key thing: to keep people laughing through good times and bad.

Notable moments from Leno's reign included Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement of his candidacy for California governor in 2003 and British actor Hugh Grant's first public appearance after being arrested with a Los Angeles prostitute in 1995.

Season to date, Leno has performed strong, averaging 5.2 million viewers and a 1.4 rating among adults 18-49. He was the second longest-running "Tonight" host following Johnny Carson, who held the post for three decades before retiring in 1992. "Tonight" began in 1954 with Steve Allen as host.

-- With additional reporting by Reuters

UPDATE: More clips from the episode....



UPDATE. Leno's last "Tonight Show" ratings from NBC..