Of course, it helps when the tickets are free. Leno announced his plans to hold the April 7 free show at The Palace of Auburn Hills last week on the "Tonight Show."
Getting the tickets was easy. Telling the Palace box office you’re unemployed snags you four tickets as long as tickets last. But demand was so heavy this morning that venue officials quickly added a second show, scheduled for April 8.
But even though news of a second show brought smiles to the Leno faithful in the Motor City, it probably won’t heal last week’s dustup about the location of the event.
Auburn Hills is about 30 miles from downtown Detroit, making it 60 or more miles from the city’s south side, a fact not lost on Detroit City Council member Martha Reeves (of Martha Reeves & The Vandellas), who last week complained at a council meeting about Leno’s plans for a free show for Detroiters taking place outside Detroit. Reeves finally got Leno’s people to agree to a show within Detroit city limits, but a Leno rep said that due to the comedian’s schedule a Detroit metro show would have to wait until later this year.
Whether the show is in Auburn Hills or Detroit made no difference to fans who lined up for the free tickets today.
Robert Drlicka of Jackson, Mich., made a foam replica of the NBC peacock and wore it on his head while waiting in line.
“This is called ‘kissing up to get on the Jay Leno show,’” Drlicka told The Detroit News. “Putting your face through the rear end of a peacock.”