SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — "The Tonight Show" has laid off about two dozen workers, prompting host Jay Leno to accept a pay cut to spare other staffers as NBC clamps down on expenses.

NBC Universal imposed the cutbacks Friday, according to a person familiar with the moves. The person asked not to be identified because NBC Universal hadn't officially disclosed the cost cutting.

The payroll purge affected about 10 percent of the roughly 200 people who work on "The Tonight Show," still the top-rated late-night program. Viewers shouldn't notice any changes in programming at "The Tonight Show," the person said.