Jay Leno’s final episode as host of The Tonight Show drew huge ratings on Thursday night, as more than 14 million people tuned in to watch Kim Kardashian and Billy Crystal say goodbye (again) to Leno.
It was the best haul in 15 years, just barely missing the mark set right after the Seinfeld finale in 1998, according to the the Hollywood Reporter. It’s the fourth-highest-rate Tonight Show ever hosted by Leno, with the top spot still belonging to the show that followed the finale of Cheers in 1993. It was by far the best-rated show since Leno’s return in 2010.
Jimmy Fallon is taking over as the show’s new host on Feb. 17.
This story and headline has been updated to reflect final ratings.
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