Due to the high demand for tickets for the free show representatives of the comic have announced he will perform again the next night.
Tickets for the first show sold out about an hour after they were made available at 10 a.m. at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Thousands of people began lining up at 7:30 a.m. Monday in hopes of getting tickets to the show.
A Palace spokesman said there were already about 4,000 cars in the parking lot by 8 a.m.
The people, who are already in line will begin receiving tickets for the second show, which will be at 8 p.m. on April 8.
About 15,000 people can attend each performance.
Tickets will be distributed until they run out.
People only had to say they were unemployed or affected by the recession to receive up to four tickets per person.
The ticket box office will remain open until 6 p.m. Monday and then will reopen Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Leno said the show, "Jay's Comedy Stimulus Plan," is a free night of entertainment to lift Detroiters spirits.
The Detroit Pistons will donate their home court for the event and parking will be free.
A grateful former autoworker said he is thrilled to see Leno.
"It's a way to show my girlfriend we are going to be out and have a good time and Jay's going to pick up the tab," said Craig Smith while waiting in line.
Smith got there at 2 a.m.
"I've lost a lot of things my $200,000 home, my wife, everything," he said.
Those who waited in line outside the arena were served pizza from Domino's by members of the Detroit Pistons' Automotion dance team.
Some members of the Detroit City Council have been critical of Leno's decision to perform in a Detroit suburb instead of inside the city limits.
Motown star-turn
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