The cast of Call Me Kat paid an emotional and heartfelt tribute to co-star Leslie Jordan last week. It aired last Thursday but if you missed it, or if you don’t live in the US, co-actor Cheyenne Jackson shared it to his Instagram over the weekend. It’s devastating.
Jordan, 67, tragically died last October in a car accident. Authorities believe he suffered some sort of medical emergency that led to him crashing the vehicle.
Related: Remember the beloved LGBTQ figures and allies we lost in 2022
Over the last couple of years, Jordan played the role of baker Phil in the Fox TV sitcom. He died mid-season. The creative team decided quickly, they were not going to replace Jordan with a different actor.
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Instead, the writers had Phil and his boyfriend Jalen (John Griffin) go on vacation to Tahiti. In his absence, his mama (played by Vicki Lawrence) showed up to take over Phil’s baking duties. Struck by the beauty of the location, Phil and Jalen decided to wed and set up a bakery on the island.
The episode was titled “Call Me Philliam”. Phil’s mama reveals ‘Philliam’ is her son’s full name: “It was supposed to be William, but his daddy was pretty drunk when he filled out the birth certificate,” she explains.
The show dwells primarily on Phil’s absence and his plans to start a new life.
The show skips to “two weeks later.” The characters have returned from a trip to Tahiti for Phil and Jalen’s wedding. They look at wedding snaps on a tablet.
“Nothing going to be the same without him,” reflects a wistful Kat (Mayim Bialik).
John Griffin then brings out Jordan’s empty director’s chair. The five main cast members gather around it and place one of Jordan’s distinctive sequinned jackets on the back. Co-star Cheyenne Jackson is visibly upset.
Watch below.
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Bialik, who wrote the episode, then addresses the audience directly.
“What we’ve done here is we’ve given Phil a happy ending. What we’re really doing is mourning the loss of our dear friend Leslie Jordan. He is irreplaceable. We will miss him very much.”
Dolly Parton
The show then cut to a video of Dolly Parton. The country legend reads a few lines of the song, ‘Where the Soul Never Dies’. She and Jordan performed it on the latter’s country album in 2021.
“I know usually, at a memorial, people talk about somebody. Well, I’m going to talk to you, ‘cause there is that place on the other side. I’m certainly going to see you there, little brother,” says Parton.
“You left a lot of people here with a lot of precious, precious memories. Everybody loved you, but I doubt that many of ‘em loved you more than I did.”
“Anyhow, I just wanted you to know that we all love you, we all miss you and I bet you’re having a big laugh over all of us being sad and sorrowful and I know that would be the last thing you would want us to be. So, anyway, you made us happy while you were here, and we’re happy that you’re at peace, and I just want you to know that…” and she sings the last bit “… I will always love you.”
dbmcvey
Such a loss. He was a true National Treasure.
Matthewnow
One of the ONLY actors who made me laugh out loud. I miss him SO much. Thank God for reruns.
VTIcarus
I think, if you check again, this was John Griffin.
“A crew member then brings out Jordan’s empty director’s chair. “
David Hudson
Thank you – that’s been corrected.
missvamp
they wanted to give him a happy ending & they did. seeing cheyenne cry as mayiam said that, broke me.
oh & it was not a crew member who brought out his chair. it was his love interest. the drag queen he went to Tahiti to start a new life with.
whereshouldistart
How lucky we are to be left with Leslie’s legacy. I’m witnessing a ton of young people on YouTube finding George Carlin for the first time and watching them crack up makes me want to scream, “LOOK GEORGE! YOU’RE MAKING A WHOLE NEW GENERATION HOWL WITH LAUGHTER AND THEY’RE DOING WHAT YOU WANTED THEM TO DO…THINK FOR THEMSELVES!”
Leslie will be entertaining audiences for years and years to come and I like to think that the energy he left behind will hear the laughter.
RIP sweet pea.
charette8596
Until Call Me Kat, I never knew his actual name but recognized him as the little guy that always stole the show whenever he popped up. Before CMK, I remembered him most on Boston Legal opposite James Spader. He’s unforgettable.
mikesarzo
I didn’t cry when I watched the scene on YouTube, but when I read the words of this tribute out loud, I fought back tears.
Leslie Jordan was more than just their castmate. He was their friend. He was a trailblazer.
By being his authentic self, he helped so many people do the same. He helped us become more comfortable being who we always were, who we were always meant to be.
I’m glad Phil will live on as a character. I’m just sorry we won’t get to see Leslie Jordan playing him again. No recasting could ever hope to replace Leslie Jordan or his legacy.