Ma Vie En Rose  | THEATER | Advocate.com

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Ma Vie En Rose
Leslie Jordan's new one man show, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, premiered at Gay Fest in New York City and this week comes to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center. The show chronicles his journey to celebrity status with a slightly colorful twist
An Advocate.com exclusive posted May 10, 2008
Ma Vie En Rose

Whether he's playing Karen Walker’s acid-tongued frenemy Beverley Leslie on Will & Grace or cross-dressing Brother Boy in the cult film Sordid Lives, actor Leslie Jordan has made a career out of playing screamingly homosexual Southerners. In his one-man show My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, Jordan recounts his path to Hollywood success, doling out dishy celebrity stories and tales of the drug-fueled gay scene of the 1970s and detailing the dreams of a starstruck childhood sissy in Chattanooga, Tenn. The one-night-only performance kicked off for Gay Fest 2008, a theater festival that raises money for New York City’s Harvey Milk High School.

Describing himself as "the gayest man on Earth," Jordan claims that he "fell out of the womb and into my mama’s high heels." Growing up gay in the Bible Belt in the '60s and '70s, Jordan was closeted, but obviously a poofter. "I open my mouth, and 50 yards of purple chiffon comes out!" He was a huge fan of Tammy Wynette, whom he calls, "the queen of the codependent anthem." The audience howled with laughter as the diminutive, foul-mouthed ball of energy shared memories of his early encounters with phone sex, unrequited crushes, and at the age of 17 his first visit to a gay bar, the Cross Keys Lounge. He describes entering that bar (with two big-wigged Southern-fried drag queens to guide him) as the defining moment of his life -- everything is either before or after that pivotal encounter.

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Marco Bravo
    Date posted: 2008-05-14 1:22 PM
    Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, FL

    Comment:

    Leslie Jordan has been a real hit with my lover IFrancisco) and I (Marco), for a long time. Besides the fact that he is "funny as all get out", he is quite an awesome actor! Sordid Lives is definitely one of the favorite films in our repetoire. It is such a pleasure having "one of us" out there "being real", and spreading joy to so many. We adore his originality, wit, and charm!!! I also spent my youth in the great state of Tennessee (Nashville), and also love, love, love the great Tammy Wynette. I spent the better part of my adult life travelling and working around the world. I would always take my Tammy CD's with me...to "take me back" to my old home. Watching Leslie does that very same thing. Loving, laughing and enjoying life!!! By the way, Please let us know if and when he'll be performing in the Miami area. We be there, front and center! Big Hug and Kiss to all of you at the Advocate, Marco and Francisco (aka "cookie")


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