Jay Leno is finally speaking out about a painful moment from his past — the time Jimmy Kimmel mocked him on his own show in front of millions of viewers.

Back in 2010, Kimmel appeared on "The Jay Leno Show" during a controversial time in late-night TV history.

Leno had recently taken back "The Tonight Show" from Conan O'Brien, despite previously promising to hand it over for good. Ratings trouble had pushed NBC to bring Leno back, but the move didn't sit well with fans — or with Kimmel, People said.

During his guest spot, Leno asked Kimmel to share the best prank he'd ever pulled. Kimmel responded with a sharp dig: "I told a guy that five years from now I'm going to give you my show, and then when the five years came, I gave it to him, and then I took it back almost instantly." It was a clear jab at Leno over the Conan debacle.

Now, more than a decade later, Leno says he still regrets how it all unfolded. On the April 23 episode of "In Depth With Graham Bensinger," the 74-year-old comedian reflected on why he allowed the moment to air unedited.

Jay Leno Opens Up About Letting Kimmel Humiliate Him on His Show

Leno reflected on the time Kimmel appeared on his show, admitting that allowing himself to be humiliated on his own platform was a mistake.

He explained that he chose not to edit the segment, acknowledging that he had placed his trust in someone and accepted responsibility for the outcome.

According to DailyBeast, Leno explained that even though he had the power to cut Kimmel's remarks from the broadcast, he chose not to. "Because it happened. It's real — it happened. It's my mistake. That's how you learn."

While many praised the moment for its raw television drama, Leno sees it differently. "It's not good TV for me," he admitted. "It started a whole thing that continues to this day, really."

Though Kimmel stood by his comments at the time — even mocking Leno in costume on his own show — the two eventually buried the hatchet.In 2017, following the open-heart surgery of Jimmy Kimmel's infant son Billy, Jay Leno reached out to express his support.

According to Kimmel, the two were able to reconcile, with Leno offering kind words during the difficult time. Kimmel later mentioned that they had made peace and appreciated Leno's gesture.

Still, traces of awkwardness remain. Kimmel recently recalled a tense run-in with Leno at a holiday party hosted by Ben Affleck. "We're both uncomfortably making small talk," Kimmel joked.

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Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel