Leno's "Ross the Intern" hits Spring Break

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND — Music blared from giant speakers; the smell of sun block wafted through the air and a group played soccer in the sand as Ross Mathews, the bubbly, flamboyant host of the Jay Leno show’s "Ross the Intern" segment, made his way to the beach with a camera crew in tow.

Mathews, 30, regularly tours places across the country, mingling with locals for his regular comedy segment on Leno’s "The Tonight Show." He arrived Friday at the beach behind the Isla Grand Beach Resort, where thousands of Spring Breaker-contestants crowded a stage, competing for prizes.

During his time at Coca-Cola Beach, Mathews, who also regularly appears on the E Network’s late-night talk show "Chelsea Lately," interviewed spring breakers for Leno’s "Ross the Intern" segment.

"We’re covering Spring Break. We want to see if the kids are remembering anything from their education, basically how many brain cells have been killed," Mathews joked Friday afternoon. "We got here yesterday and went to Louie’s Backyard and had a little dinner and talked to the people."

Mathews compared his Spring Break segment to "Jay Walking," a comedy bit done by Leno in which the talk show host quizzes people on the street with trivia questions.

"We’re asking them questions that any semi-educated American would know," he said. "I read the quote from the Statue of Liberty and said ‘what was that on?’ Someone goes ‘Oh that big statue, the Eiffel Tower.’"

The Washington state native said he was envious of local spring breakers and said he had never come to South Padre Island while in college.

"Spring Break for me was like going home to visit my nana," he said. "It’s so much fun. I’m so jealous. I wish I would have done this when I was in college. Everyone’s in a good mood; people are down here to celebrate and have a good time.

"You can tell the town is really excited to have them," he said.

Mathews’ South Padre Island visit will air March 30 on NBC during the "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."