'The Masked Singer' Pays Emotional Tribute to Leslie Jordan During His Final Appearance

By Daniel S. Levine

The Masked Singer paid tribute to frequent guest the late Leslie Jordan during Wednesday night's episode, bringing tears to viewers' eyes at home. The episode filmed over the summer was Jordan's final one as a guest panelist, as he filled in for judge Ken Jeong, who was out with COVID-19. Jordan, who also starred on Fox's Call Me Kat, died in a car accident on Oct. 24 at age 67. 

The "Hall of Fame Night" episode started with a simple tribute card for Jordan, dedicating the following episode to the beloved actor. Fox also prepared a tribute video, which included scenes from Jordan's past appearance on The Masked Singer. During the show's sixth season in 2021, he served as a celebrity guest panelist and performed "This Little Light of Mine." He also stopped by for a Season 7 episode in April. "I seldom get invited back anywhere, so it's exciting!" Jordan said during this week's episode, capturing the glee of his surprise appearance. Host Nick Cannon exclaimed, "I love this man!"

Jordan was not the only guest panelist this week. Comedian Joel McHale also returned to sit in as a panelist. On Nov. 7, Jeong said he missed the episode taping because he had COVID-19 at the time. "Most importantly, this is our dear friend Leslie Jordan's last appearance on the show, and we dedicate this episode in his honor," Jeong wrote on Twitter. "[Love] you Leslie. We can feel your love from above."

'He was so full of joy and fun'

Jordan also made a posthumous appearance on the Season 3 premiere of HBTV's Celebrity IOU with Drew and Jonathan Scott. In the episode, he surprised his friends Rosemanet andNewell Alexander with a home renovation. "They've just always been there for me," Jordan told the Property Brothers stars in the episode. "I had some struggles with alcohol, a little drug use. I'm 25 years clean and sober, but they were instrumental in that too because they never judged me."

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'He is sorely missed!'

Jordan was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and was best known for playing Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace. The part earned him an Emmy in 2006. Jordan also became a surprising Instagram star during the COVID-19 pandemic. He published his autobiography, How Y'all Doing? Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived, last year.

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'I'm just so sad'

Chattanooga city officials are planning a memorial for Jordan on Nov. 20 at the Memorial Auditorium. Proceeds from the event will support CEMPA Community Care. Tickets for the event are available at Ticketmaster for $20 each.

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'He was so full of life'

"If Leslie were here with us today, I would want to thank him for his contributions to our culture throughout his acting career, for getting us through the dark days of the pandemic with his wicked sense of humor, and for always inviting us into his heart and his world," Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said in a statement. "Leslie opened himself up to all of us and never stopped sharing the love and light he carried within."

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'It's surreal watching Leslie Jordan'

"It's surreal watching Leslie Jordan on [The Masked Singer] and knowing he's no longer here," one fan wrote, adding a crying emoji.

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'Hit me way harder than I had anticipated'

The Masked Singer airs on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. If you don't have a traditional cable package, FuboTV allows you to watch The Masked Singer live (there's even a free trial available). Additionally, all episodes of The Masked Singer are available on Hulu the following day.

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