Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
08/28/2008
BURBANK, CALIF. – The Henry Cejudo story got even bigger tonight when the Olympic freestyle champion made an appearance as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Wednesday, August 27.
Already considered one of the big personal stories of the Beijing Olympics, Henry Cejudo reached an even larger audience when he was interviewed on one of the most popular shows on television. Wrestling fans across the nation took great pride when this 21-year-old represented his sport with great charm and character on national television.
The Tonight Show appearance became a reality back in Beijing, China, after Cejudo’s amazing victory at 55 kg/121 lbs. on August 19. His heartfelt celebration and impressive personal story captured the attention of the world. It also caught the attention of Tonight Show’s Steve Ridgeway.
Ridgeway spent some time with Cejudo during one of his days of media tours following his victory, and decided that Henry’s story should be included on the Tonight Show.
Working closely with USA Wrestling’s Communications Manager Craig Sesker, the complicated details of Cejudo’s visit were ironed out while everybody was still over in China. When Henry arrived in Chicago from China on August 26, the Tonight Show decided to re-route him immediately to Los Angeles, where he would appear the next day with Jay Leno.
While working out the travel arrangements, Ridgeway and his colleague Bryan Branly decided to play a little trick on Henry, and also liven up the segment tremendously. Originally, the plan was to have Henry’s older brother Angel and his mother Nelly Rico attend the show as his guests.
The story of Nelly Rico, a single mom who raised Henry and his siblings under trying conditions and with great strength and love, was one of the stories which emerged when Cejudo claimed his Olympic title. Henry had not seen his mother for over a month, because she had not been able to attend the Olympics.
Working with Angel on the trick, they decided to tell Henry that his mom could not attend the show. Meanwhile, the Tonight Show staff flew Nelly and Henry’s sister Gloria Cejudo in at a later time and kept them hidden from Henry. The idea was to surprise Henry with his mother’s appearance at the end of Henry’s interview with Leno.
Meanwhile, Henry flew all the way from Beijing to Chicago, then switched over to a late night flight to Los Angeles, where he was greeted by a limousine and whisked off to the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City. There he was greeted by his brother Angel, and was told his mom was not feeling well and did not attend.
Henry became a big hit in the hotel lobby when it was discovered that an Olympic champion had arrived. Many contestants for the TV series America Has Talent were in the hotel, and lined up for pictures with Henry and his Olympic gold medal. Eventually, Henry went off to get a little sleep after traveling more than a day to get home.
Henry’s day on the Tonight Show was very busy. It started with an 8:30 a.m. breakfast meeting with Tonight Show staffers Ridgeway and Branly, where Henry and Angel were interviewed and ideas about what would be discussed on the show were bantered around.
Many friends along with Cejudo family members arrived during the day, including a group that drove up from his Phoenix hometown early in the morning. By the time that the Tonight Show van pulled up to the 2:45 p.m. pickup at the hotel, there were over a dozen Cejudo supporters there to see Henry’s appearance with Jay Leno.
Cejudo was taken to his own dressing room outside the Tonight Show set, with his friends given backstage passes. Food was brought in by the Tonight Show staff, and everybody was having a good time. Eventually, Jay Leno stopped in himself to greet Henry, visit with his group of friends, and go over the night’s script a bit.
Prior to the start of the show, the friends and family were taken to seats inside the Tonight Show set in the audience. There was a warmup act prior to the start of the show, including some jokes from Leno himself. Meanwhile, Cejudo was by himself behind stage, waiting for his turn with Jay Leno.
The show started with Leno’s monologue, then an extended comedy feature from the Democratic National Convention. Next up was comedian Bill Maher, who talked for two time segments with Leno about politics and other social issues. In between segments, the Tonight Show band entertained with outstanding music, keeping the atmosphere lively.
The Cejudo segment began with video of his Olympic championship celebration, and loud applause from the audience, including the chant of USA, USA, USA. Cejudo sat down next to Leno and began to chat. Cejudo was relaxed and friendly, and soon the two were joking around, telling stories and having a good time.
When Leno asked Cejudo about his mother, Henry praised her and then said that he was sad that she was not able to attend the show. That is when Leno surprised Henry, and those in the audience, by bringing his mom Nelly onto the stage. Henry hugged his mother, and placed his Olympic gold medal around her neck, to the applause and tears of the audience. Ridgeway’s trick had worked, and Henry was given a chance to see his mom for the first time since he had left for China.
After a closing musical act, the Tonight Show ended. The Cejudo family and friends came down on the stage and took pictures with Jay Leno. Everybody went back to the dressing room, where there were hugs and many pictures taken. After Leno came back to wish Henry well, the entire group went back to the vans for a ride back to the hotel. The local NBC affiliate was waiting outside the set for a quick interview with Henry, and soon everybody, including Henry’s mother, returned to spend a night together to celebrate in Los Angeles.
Click on Tonight Show to watch the video
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