TELEVISION - Aug. 1, 1991

Leno to Stay Solo: Jay Leno says he doesn’t need a sidekick and won’t replace Ed McMahon, who is retiring along with Johnny Carson from “The Tonight Show” next May. Leno noted Wednesday that he hasn’t had a sidekick since he started as Carson’s guest host, so “it would seem odd to suddenly turn to someone and start interacting.” All the speculation about who would replace McMahon was just that--speculation, said Leno. He also denied ever contacting Dana Carvey or Jan Hooks of “Saturday Night Live” about the job, as some newspapers reported.