Leslie Jordan: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet (Standup Show)

Many people knew Leslie Jordan thanks to his its bitty roles, but most popular of it being the Beverly Leslie character in Will and Grace. His popularity went sky rocket during the pandemic thanks to his short videos he posted constantly and his followers grew exponentially. But few months back , he unexpectedly died in an accident, leaving a void Beijing in the gay comedy scene. So, this was a good time to remember Leslie recounts the trials of being a gay, southern man with aspirations of entering show business, with his signature southern drawl and self-deprecating humor back in 2010.

This one man show happened in midtown theatre, Jordan dishes out hilarious memories of growing up gay in the South and as an emerging actor in 1980s Hollywood. The stories keep coming. His theme is that of a hopelessly immature, politically incorrect lover looking for respect. He is, he claims, "a high school cheerleader stuck in a 55-year-old body." He takes every opportunity to regale the audience with bits of gossip about his celebrity encounters. Jordan ends the evening on a moving confessional note, recalling an unexpected gesture of kindness from his cold, detached father one Christmas Eve long, long ago. He clearly wants us to make psychological connections. This is, after all, a story of someone who developed a sharp, protective sense of humor as a defense against pain and rejection.

This show is a tribute to his struggle and a celebration of his success. Even though Leslie's one purpose from the show was a hope that his trials and tribulations will be an education for people who feel as alone as he did as they come to terms with their gay identities. But sadly, there aren’t quite enough personal moments in the show to achieve that purpose, though there’s plenty to make the audience chuckle. The show may not change anybody’s life, but it sure makes you laugh. Although I can't help but feel, if he was alive, and he was to do an autobiographical standup comedy today, especially after his huge huge success and rise in popularity during pandemic, the show would have been something else. It’s hard not to like Leslie Jordan, but to me, the show and stories felt too disconnected, especially when it goes on for 90 plus minutes. Just when a story starts to get interesting, a random disco song and dance number would interrupt. I can see, why this would have made sense for theatrical pleasure, but watching a taping of it now, defies the purpose. But still in the larger scheme of things, with some witty and mischief words, the show is full of life and love and a celebration of personality that Leslie Jordan was. (4.5/10)