Leno taking free comedy show to 'devastated' Ohio community

Fresh off his recent successful free comedy nights for out-of-work fans in Detroit, talk show host Jay Leno has announced plans for another instalment of his Jay's Comedy Stimulus Plan series.

The Tonight Show host announced Monday night that he will perform another free night of comedy in Wilmington, Ohio, on May 10, Mother's Day.

Wilmington, about 50 kilometres southeast of Dayton, has been devastated by the loss of thousands of jobs, Leno said.

After receiving a "wonderful reaction" to his two Detroit shows earlier this month, "we're gonna do some more," he said.

"[Wilmington] is the town that got devastated. Remember, DHL was there and the whole company just closed up, like 80 per cent unemployment. Folks there are having a hard time. They're good folks."

In 2008, DHL, an international shipping company, announced plans to withdraw its operations from Wilmington Air Park, leading to 8,000 lost jobs. The company announced last week it is moving its U.S. base for international shipping to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.

Wilmington is a community of about 12,000 people.

Leno performed two free shows for capacity crowds at the Palace of Auburn Hills, a sports arena and entertainment venue outside of Detroit, on April 7 and 8.

The veteran comedian and avid car collector had said he wanted to do some good for Detroit, which is struggling with high unemployment rates and a flailing auto industry amid the troubled global economy.

After Leno announced plans for his Detroit show, sponsors also lined up to provide free refreshments and to cover the cost of parking for those attending.