what jokes did leno and letterman write for jimmie walker

Jay Leno and David Letterman reportedly wrote jokes for Jimmie “J.J.” Walker when they were both still unknown young comics. One source says Walker hired Leno to write jokes for his stand-up, and another says Letterman also wrote material for Walker’s act.

What’s known

• Walker later described having a writing staff made up of then-unknown comedians, including Leno and Letterman.

• The reporting available here does not include the exact jokes themselves, only that they were writing material for him.

• The broader story is that Walker helped give early breaks to several comics who later became famous.

Why it matters

This comes up because people are often surprised that two future late-night stars were once writing for Jimmie Walker rather than the other way around. The public accounts focus on the relationship and the career boost, not on preserving specific punchlines.

Source note

The clearest available detail in the material here is that Leno wrote jokes for Walker, and Letterman also wrote jokes for him, but the actual joke text isn’t provided in the sources.