Leno told The Los Angeles Times the last guest on May 29, his final show, will be Conan O’Brien and he’s delighted to welcome him.

“I’m glad that it’s going to be Conan,” Leno said. “It couldn’t go to a better person. I mean, he’s the guy and we’re friends and it’s a really smooth transition and I think it will be a lot of fun.

“I think that NBC’s attitude about these things is that you should leave these shows while they’re No. 1. Five years ago, Conan was set to go to ABC and they said, ‘We don’t want to lose Conan. What do you want to do?’ And I said, ‘Whatever you want to do guys.’ So I said, ‘Fine, whatever you want.’ That’s pretty much the way it worked.”

Other guests scheduled for Leno’s final week include Mel Gibson, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wanda Sykes, Billy Crystal, Lyle Lovett, Dwight Yoakam, Sarah McLachlan and Prince.

While we probably can’t expect any of those folks to perch on the corner of the host’s desk and serenade him like Bette Midler did Carson during his last week, Leno says the end of his “Tonight Show” era will be “special.”

“I have something really unusual and different planned, something really out of left field,” he told the Times. “It’s something really personal and it seems unusual and it has to do with our show. And I think it will make people smile. It will be interesting. I don’t want to give it away.”

Here’s Midler’s bittersweet farewell to Johnny Carson on his second to last show.

Read The Los Angeles Times’ complete interview with Leno about leaving the “Tonight Show” and what viewers can expect from his new vehicle here.

Thursday, May 14
Kelly Clarkson – “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
Billy Gardell, Brad Wollack – “Chelsea Lately” – rerun
Dierks Bentley – “The Bonnie Hunt Show”
Rick Ross with Magazeen – “Late Show with David Letterman”
The Decemberists – “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
Will Ferrell, Asher Roth – “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
Yusuf Islam – “The Colbert Report”
Steve “Lips” Kudlow & Robb Reiner (Anvil), The Airborne Toxic Event – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Howie Mandel – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”
Operation Aloha – “Last Call with Carson Daly”

Friday, May 15
Mel B, Jo Koy, Natasha Leggero – “Chelsea Lately” – rerun
Mastadon – “Late Show with David Letterman”
Kings of Leon – “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”
Yusuf Islam – “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
Eminem – “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
All-American Rejects – “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson”
Friendly Fires – “Last Call with Carson Daly”

Saturday, May 16
My Morning Jacket – “Austin City Limits” – rerun
Will Ferrell, Green Day – “Saturday Night Live”