The Time My Story Was Featured on the Tonight Show
A Memorable Carriage Ride in Old Town Pasadena
In the bustling streets of Old Town Pasadena, California, the air was thick with the aroma of food from various restaurants, the chatter of tourists, and the distant hum of live music drifting from the clubs.
This was the mid-’90s, a period marked by the conclusion of O.J. Simpson’s high-profile murder trial and the trial of Heidi Fleiss, the “Hollywood Madam.” Both had local connections.
Fleiss capitalized on her notoriety by opening a lingerie shop on the Main Street of Pasadena. At the time, I was driving a horse and carriage, and referring to the nature of the murder, I would often joke with customers that O.J. was planning to open a cutlery shop across the street from Fleiss’s establishment.
Jay Leno was a regular visitor to our quaint corner of the city. Known for his “Man on the Street” interviews, he often conducted them right there in Old Town. Leno and his crew would arrive early, dine at the small hamburger joint next to our station, and then proceed with their evening. Before heading inside, Leno would always pat my horse on the nose and offer a friendly “hi.”
One week, Time Magazine featured a cover story on “Sex in America,” and Leno chose this topic for his interviews that week. Among those he interviewed was my boss, a striking woman with short grey hair who typically wore a tuxedo and top hat. She shared an amusing and relevant experience that I had recently had.
A well-dressed couple, clearly on their first date, had hired our carriage for a half-hour ride through the city. Since my boss didn’t accept credit cards, we often made pit stops at ATMs. While the gentleman was withdrawing money, the lady confided, “We just met, but he seems nice.” They left for dinner and returned later, noticeably inebriated.
As we rode, I tried to resume the casual conversation we had during their first ride. However, it quickly became clear that their attention was elsewhere. They grew increasingly amorous, crossing the line of what was appropriate for a public setting.
As we turned from the dark neighborhood onto the well-lit Main Street, I was shocked to see the couple getting extremely intimate right there in the back of the carriage. When I later told my boss, I remarked, “Well, I guess she did decide he was nice during dinner.”
When my boss shared my story with Leno, she framed it more as a cautionary tale than a humorous anecdote. Leno, amused by her stern delivery, mugged to the camera, widened his eyes, and asked, “Well… how do you feel about that?”
My boss, standing to her full 5'3", replied, “I’m all for people doing what they like, but it ain’t gonna happen on my carriage.” Leno burst into laughter, and the story was later featured as the first interview on the show.
It was a minor brush with fame, but a memorable snapshot of the quirky, unpredictable, and sometimes wild nature of Saturday nights in Old Town Pasadena.
