Call Me Kat fans got their last glimpse of the beloved Leslie Jordan in his final appearance in the show in an episode titled “Call Me Fancy Puffenstuff.” The episode is about chosen family, booming new love, and friendship. Jordan died on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles while en route to the set. He was 67 years old. An autopsy to reveal the official cause of death is pending. When audiences first met Jordan’s character Phil, the head baker at Kat’s (Mayim Bialik) cafe, Jordan’s naturally sassy persona shined through and he became the heart and laughter over the three seasons he appeared. In Season 3, Phil a companion to share his life with, his new boyfriend Jalen (John Griffin).
Jordan was excited to work alongside Griffin. In Jordan’s final episode on the show, their characters took their relationship to the next level as the four-letter “L-word” is accidentally dropped out of Phil’s mouth. Initially, Jalen distances himself, but only for a short time. He reunited with Phil and Phil returns the phrase. They seal the deal with a kiss.ย
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Series executives Maria Ferrari and Jim Patterson spoke with Deadline about how everyone is holding up since Jordan’s passing. “It’s been a long few weeks. Every so often, you think you’re ready to move on and then you hear something or see something, and you flashback; you feel sad,” Patterson told the outlet.
Ferrari shared similar sentiments, stating: “We’re all really sad but it is a pretty tight-knit crew and cast and I think that everybody is just supporting each other the best way they can.”
In Oct. 2022, after his death, the show penned a special tribute to Jordan in the form of a video montage. The tribute ended with a quote from Jordan, saying: “I’m a big believer in celebrating every moment.” Written on the end of the montage were the words, “Leslie Jordan, Forever a part of the Fox family.”
