Jay Leno's massive pay cut: Is The Tonight Show in trouble?

As its payroll gets slashed, NBC's late-night powerhouse loses two dozen staff members — and even its iconic host doesn't escape the budget ax

Jay Leno speaks during the 2011 ESPY Awards
(Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is laying off 20 to 25 staff members in a bid to reduce its budget sharply. According to NBC insiders, the cuts would have been even more drastic had Leno not volunteered to take a "tremendous" pay cut himself to "save as many people's jobs as he could." The Tonight Show has long been one of NBC's flagship programs, and despite a damaging Conan vs. Leno hosting controversy, the show remains a late-night TV staple. Why has Leno fallen under the budget ax? Here, a brief guide:

How deep are the budget cuts?

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