Jay Leno Brings A-List Comics Along for His Primetime Ride

The Hangover's Rachael Harris and D.L. Hughley are among the regulars to appear on The Jay Leno Show

Jay Leno was "on" right off the bat, responding to some summer news he'd missed during his little hiatus at today's NBC Television Critics Association press day for his new primetime show, The Jay Leno Show.

Michael Jackson's death and Sarah Palin's resignation were addressed, to which he quipped, "Those two go hand-in-hand." He continued, "I felt bad obviously, but then again, the Palin thing cheered me up." Alright, he definitely hasn't lost his touch during the past few months.

And, there's more...

So what will The Jay Leno Show bring to NBC? The "x-factor" is more comedy and tons of recognizable correspondents on board like D.L. Hughley, who will report on politics. "D.L. in D.C., no less," teased Jay. Mikey Day, of Kath & Kim fame, and Rachael Harris, from this spring's movie giant, The Hangover, will be around, too. NBC Nightly News host Brian Williams, who showcased his comedic talent as host of Saturday Night Live this season, has also signed on to host a small segment (which sounds brills!) tentatively titled, "Stories That Weren't Good Enough for Nightly News."

Other changes? Jay's svelte new physique, for one. "I've been running four miles everyday—lost 12 pounds, thank you very much," bragged Leno. There'll be no desk and each show will have one, maybe two guests, where they'll be "out of their chairs" so to speak. Classic Jay still exists though, including Jaywalking and Headlines.

The Jay Leno Show debuts Sept. 14 on NBC at 10 p.m.