Actor and comedian, Leslie Jordan, died this past Monday at age 67. Jordan was best known for his work on the long-standing television sitcom, Will & Grace. Jordan was known for his flamboyant personality, positive attitude, and a spunk that lasted well into his old age. However, my goal is not to write an obituary on the tiny man whose humor shocked the world, I just want to talk about the way he made me and my mom laugh.
It was early quarantine, many celebrities were taking to social media to try and offer solace to common folk like us who had no idea what was going on. Their attempts to reach us definitely made for some interesting memories. There was first the Vanessa Hudgens “they’re gonna die anyway” line. Then, who could forget the instance when a group of well known celebs attempted to string together a rendition of “Imagine” by John Lennon, and John Mayer instead sang, “bubbles and bubbly,” which is part of “imagine,” by Ariana Grande. When we found out that America’s royalty was doing no better in navigating the strange time that was quarantine, we looked for entertainment instead.
I can still remember my mom sitting in the living room, crying over her phone at whatever Instagram story Leslie posted that day. It was never more than a 30-second clip, but whatever it was that he decided to post, most likely with little consideration or hesitation, always made us smile. Even the smallest insight into Leslie’s mind was satisfactory for me and my mom; after long days of worrying and wondering, watching Leslie spew his randomness was the perfect distraction. The beautiful thing about Leslie Jordan was that he was a comedian who remembered during that dark time, he had a gift that could help people feel just a little better.Â
Whether it was imitating the latest TikTok trend, creating a dance routine he would perform on his own (my mom’s favorites), or simply offering the most unfiltered opinion you’ve ever heard, that man did what he wanted, and didn’t care for all the BS. He always got up-close and personal, he never seemed like he had a thing to hide, and I feel that this is what made his bold personality and title as a comedian so respectable.Â
Not only was Leslie Jordan an entertainer, but he was such an icon in the LGBTQ+ community. By living his life and spending his career being the most authentic version of himself, he inspired the lives of so many. Many took to Twitter today to express their disbelief of losing such a legendary voice.
When my mom sent me the text today letting me know he was gone, I thought about what quarantine would have been like without him. His unique and unapologetic presence was so needed during such a confusing time. After things began to go back to normal and I had returned to school, my mom would still send me the occasional Leslie video over Instagram. It didn’t even matter what he was doing, because I could always picture my mom doing an over-the-top cackle on the other end of the phone. A comedian like Leslie, who could bring such great laughter with such little effort, is such a special thing. We will miss him greatly.