Leslie Jordanhelda special place in many people’s hearts, and some of those closest to the beloved character actor gathered this weekend to honor his memory.
Jordan countedOlivia Newton-John,Rue McClanahan,Caroline Rhea,Delta Burke,Beau Bridges, Beth Grant and Dale Dickey among his costars in the project over the years.Whoopi Goldbergalso made a cameo inA Very Sordid Wedding.
Jim Spellman/WireImage
Writer/director Del Shores and producer/star Emerson Collins took the stage at the Camelot Theatre at Saturday night’s event, which was also a fundraiser forThe Del Shores Foundationfor which Jordan served a Co-Chair of the Honorary Board.
“We’re not so great,” Shores acknowledged, “but we’re here, and y’all make everything better. It’s been a sad week for us.”
He continued, “There was a discussion for a while that we were gonna cancel because I was just so ‘tore up,’ as we say in the South, over Leslie’s death.”
FOX via Getty
The Alexanders — who also starred alongside Jordan in theSordidseries since 2000 — then paid homage to their friend’slove of hymns.
“It’s just very exciting because we’ve done so many things that are around us, and as we sat and listened to their words, it was very exciting to think about this family that Del built, that Rosemary and Newell and Ann [Walker] built, that Leslie built,” said Collins. “So we are having new voices and new people that come from ‘the same kind of dirt,’ as Del often says, that we do.”
Just before the screening ofSordid Lives, Shores also shared a fond memory of the time he enlisted Rosemary Alexander to prank Jordan.
“There are at least three versions of this story — because, you know, as Mark Twain said, ‘Never let the truth get in the way of a good story,'” he began. “And Leslie told this story often. It got just bawdier and bawdier with his telling of it.”
He continued, “Closing night, those of you who in theater know that sometimes you play a joke on somebody.” Shores recalled that he asked Rosemary — who played a sexually aggressive psychotherapist charged with trying to “de-homosexualize” Jordan’s Texan character — “Will you do me a favor? Will you do the show tonight without any panties?” to cheekily bring to life a scene when Jordan noticed the naughty doctor was going commando.
In hindsight on Saturday, Rosemary put her head in her hands as Shores went on: “You know, this is my former mother-in-law, y’all — that’s how twisted and sordid my life is.”
As the audience laughed, Shores recalled, “It was the first time that I saw Leslie Jordan not have any words to say. He finally recovered, we finished the show, and came up to me and he said, ‘Delferd, that’s the meanest thing you’ve ever done to me. I hadn’t seen one of those since high school!”
Shores concluded, “He brought so much joy into my life. He made my life and my career a better place, and I know he did to all of you and millions and millions of people. We love you Leslie!”
Collins later became emotional backstage as he said, “It’s a very special night. That we already had this planned just seemed somehow magically appropriate that the work that we are doing, that [Del and Leslie] made together, that we are making this possible for new LGBTQ+ writers seems like a lovely honoring of Del and Leslie’s muse and writer relationship. So it’s really special to have a full house of people who really love this piece to laugh and cry and celebrate together. He belonged to all of us.”
Leslie Jordan.CBS via Getty
Jordan, 67,died in a car crashon Oct. 24 after suffering an apparent medical emergency. PEOPLE confirmed the news before it wasannouncedon his official Instagram.
“The love and light that Leslie shared will never go out and we invite you to share their memories and comfort each other during this time,” the post read. “In the coming days we will be giving a glimpse of a project Leslie was really proud of and was looking forward to sharing with the world.”
Jordan most famous for his scene-stealing roles, including his portrayal of Beverley Leslie inWill & Grace, which earned him a 2006 Primetime Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series.
Handout/Getty
Jordanfound a new followingamid the COVID-19 pandemic for his hilarious Instagram posts. In the aftermath of his death, tributes from fellow performers flooded social media, including one from Bravo’sAndy Cohen, who mentioned Jordan’s social media renaissance.
“I’m taking to my Instagram Story to talk about Leslie Jordan since Instagram was his medium,” said Cohen, 54. “I just think it’s so sad. Who wants to live in a world without Leslie Jordan?”
And friendDolly Partonwas among the manycountry artists who mourned Jordan’s loss.
source: people.com
