I'm not the only one who hijacks tsuwm's wwftd.
I found a dandy quote:
"However, in the Plautine figure of the leno, the pimp, we find another character whom Iago
approximates. Iago is, in addition to his other ancestors, an agelast-leno—agelast: a "non-laugher"
(one who cannot enjoy life or bliss, whether his own or another’s’) and leno: a pimp. While Iago
displays aspects of the classical parasite and aspects of the medieval "Vice" and devil, he is also,
as seen in his diction and his relations with other characters, a figure derived from the Plautine pimp. Randolph Splitter has recently observed that Othello mistakenly thinks that Cassio and Iago
discuss "Desdemona rather than the prostitute Bianca" (197), but goes no farther with possible
correlation between Iago, Desdemona, and prostitution. Iago, as an approximate figure of the
Plautine leno is, however, of the utmost importance to the play. Iago’s role as the leno is that
which brings about, is the catalyst of, Othello’s fall as well as, of course, Desdemona’s death.
The hamartia is Othello’s; that which moves Othello toward awareness of his flaw is
chiefly Iago as the Plautine leno, and for this reason Iago’s similarities to the leno are more
central to his ancestrythan perhaps are the other traditions. "

Incidentally, I wonder if Jay Leno thinks "pimp" is a funny word?