Losing Leslie Jordan was one strike too many. This year has been hard enough as it is. Anne Heche, Angela Lansbury, Cherry Valentine, Olivia Newton-John, and André Leon Talley to name a few. Leslie’s legacy is one of joy, kindness, and laughter. Without so much as breaking a sweat, Leslie single-handedly countless people out of a dark place—if only for a moment—during the most difficult moments in the pandemic. Today, in honor of this gift, we look back at some of our favorite moments. The ones that launched him to internet stardom, and the ones that left us feeling all warm and cozy.
Related | Beloved Actor Leslie Jordan Dead at 67
1. The One That Started It All
Well shit…what are y’all doin’? Screwin’? Leslie had just made his way back to LA to quarantine in West Hollywood. It seemed the boredom got to Leslie because after reading an article about how to have sex during the pandemic, he took to Instagram to vent his frustrations. We’re so thankful that he did.
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2. Twirling The Baton
Ever the fitness fanatic, Leslie impressed us all with his baton-twirling talents. He also took the opportunity to recount another lovely story from his childhood.
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3. It’s Still March!
Some might say this was the one that started it all, but as you’ve seen Leslie was creating internet gold long before he had millions of views. Still, this is the one that officially launched Leslie into internet stardom. We all remember how long that first month felt, so it’s not hard to see why.
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4. Oh, Hush…She’s too Loud
What more can we say than what’s in this video already? Oh, Leslie.
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5. BUR-GER KING
This is the kind of storytelling Leslie was beloved for. If this video doesn’t warm your heart and make you chuckle, you might be made of stone.
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6. My Mind Is Like a Bad Neighborhood
If Leslie’s mind is a bad neighborhood, ours is a warzone. Pack your bags, we’re moving up in the world.
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Related | Leslie Jordan Shares His Coming Out Story
7. Check This Sh*T Out
Leslie was capable of such hilarity and such sincerity, and he could move between them with the wave of a hand. This video is the perfect example.
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8. There’s Chicanery Afloat
Don’t try to steal Leslie’s words and make money off of them. Leslie will do it himself, and better by giving most of the proceeds to charity.
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9. Don’t You Dare Laugh
Leslie famously had loose lips when it came to his roles in movies and TV shows. He let it slip that Gaga would be appearing in American Horror Story, and he accidentally broke the news about Will & Grace coming back before they announced it. Luckily Leslie was able to keep it quiet this time, but we got quite the sneak peek at The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
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10. When I Spill The Tea…It Ain’t Sweet
American singer Jake Hagood, better known as Who Is Fancy was a good friend of Leslie’s. Here we got the opportunity to watch Leslie try his hand at reading. As expected, he’s a natural.
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11. Let Your Light Shine
Another lovely moment from Leslie in honor of Father’s Day. We are so thankful for all of the lessons Leslie taught us, and passed down to us.
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12. A Grown Man Acting Like This
Another all-time favorite for us. This video exemplifies the best of Leslie’s carefree sense of humor. We think everyone should be like Leslie when they grow up.
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13. Go Straight Home
We lost Betty White right before this year started, and through Leslie, we got to continue celebrating her memory. We hope to see the same for Leslie.
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14. An Entanglement
This is our petition to make the word “entanglement” much more common.
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Related | Leslie Jordan and Chris Hemsworth Play Hide & Seek
15. Mama and Them
A sweet moment between mother and son. Sadly, Leslie lost his sister Janet Ann just a few days later and his Mama Peggy Ann just over a month later.
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16. Love You, Mama
Leslie reminds us that we remember our loved ones through the stories we tell. We hope to see more stories about Leslie.
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17. Tiny Dancer
After all of that sentimentality, let’s take a moment to appreciate the unbridled joy and love of life that Leslie inspired.
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18. With Friends Like These
Megan Mullally and Leslie developed quite a bond on the set of Will & Grace. She left some beautiful words on her own Instagram to remember Leslie. “Leslie was flawlessly funny, a virtuoso of comedy. His timing, and his delivery, were all apparently effortless. You can’t get any better than that,” she wrote.
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19. Love, Light, Leslie
Perhaps fittingly, Leslie left us with a hymn. We will listen to this when we miss his voice and scroll back when we miss his spirit. Thank you Leslie for your love and your light.
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20. Leslie Jordan
You go straight home, Leslie.
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