How Y’all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived Book Review

The key element of a memoir is voice. The reader should be able to hear the voice of the writer through the page, as if they are in conversation with one another.

How Y’all Doing?: Misadventures and Mischief from a Life Well Lived, the memoir by actor Leslie Jordan, was published in April. As Covid-19 spread around the world last year, Jordan took to Instagram to share his thoughts about being home all day. He became a viral sensation, drawing in millions of fans with his own unique brand of Southern charm and telling stories that only he can tell.

I loved the book. It is a joy to read. He is as delightful, entertaining, and authentic on the page as he is on social media. I first noticed him when he played Beverly Leslie, the frenemy of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) on Will and Grace. Of the many side characters, I think I laughed the most when he came on screen.

It is a wonderful book and definitely worth the read.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

Thoughts On the Potential Buffy and Nanny Reboots

Success in the entertainment industry in general and on television is sometimes like catching lightning in a bottle. You may get lucky once, but getting lucky twice is an opportunity that very few experience.

Nostalgia, especially in Hollywood is often the impetus for the creation of certain television shows and movies. These days, nostalgia for the 1990’s opened the door for both Will and Grace and Roseanne (that is, before the show was cancelled due to the Roseanne Barr’s Twitter foot in mouth disease) to be successfully rebooted. But that doesn’t mean that every rebooted movie or television show based on a classic will be a hit.

Back in the day, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and The Nanny were two of the most popular shows on television. So naturally the question came about from the studios about rebooting both Buffy and The Nanny.

As much as I would be interested in a reboot of both shows, the reality is that not every television show that was rebooted was successful. The modern reboots of Charlie’s Angels and Bionic Woman failed miserably.

Only time will tell if both shows are rebooted and how successful the reboots may be. But sometimes, it’s best to let the past remain in the past and that includes television shows.

Will And Grace Reboot Review

Last night, Will And Grace returned to our television sets after an 11 year absence.

Will Truman (Eric McCormack) is still a gay lawyer. Grace Adler (Debra Messing) is still his neurotic, straight interior designer best friend/roommate. Karen Walker (Megan Mullally) is as rich and boozed up as she ever was. Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) is still the Jerry Lewis to Will’s Dean Martin. It’s as if the 2006 series finale never happened.

I have been a fan of Will And Grace for a very long time. Needless to say, the hype and the pressure to re-create the success of the original series was palpable. The cast, creative team and the crew succeeded with flying colors. Last night’s episode was pure Will and Grace, it was everything I hoped it would be and much more.

I absolutely recommend it. Welcome back Will And Grace, you’ve been sorely missed.

Will and Grace is on NBC at 9PM on Thursdays.

Flashback Friday-The Starter Wife (2007)

When life gives us lemons, we try to make lemonade. When we are single after years of being in a relationship, what looks like a dark path of unknowns may actually be an opportunity to grow in new and exciting ways.

After 8 years of playing Grace Adler on Will and Grace, Debra Messing completely stepped away the world of Will and Grace to play a new character: the eponymous title character in the 2007 miniseries, The Starter Wife. Molly Kagan (Messing) has been married to Hollywood mogul Kenny Kagan (Peter Jacobson) for a number of years. All is well in her world until Kenny divorces her. Molly has to face her new reality as a single woman with the help of her friends, Joan McAllister (Judy Davis), Cricket Stewart (Miranda Otto) and Rodney (Chris Diamantopoulos).

I remember enjoying this mini-series. It had humor, it had heart and it also spoke to the idea that new normals happen all the time. It’s just a matter of rolling with the punches and putting one foot in front of the other.

I recommend it.

Will And Grace Trailer

There are some television shows, that once they go off the air, are better left to the past. Then there are other shows who live on and continue to speak to the audience.

After a 11 year hiatus, Will and Grace is returning to the small screen in the fall.

What can I say about this show? Not only was it incredibly funny and well written, but it changed the world without anyone noticing. While we were laughing and suspending our disbelief that the people we were watching were fictional characters and not real, our minds were slowly opening. Before Will and Grace, gay characters were either an extreme stereotype, a background character or just all together invisible. Will and Grace paved the way, not for fictional gay characters, for those in real life who were either in the closet or out of the closet.

The cultural impact is immeasurable, as were the belly laughs.

Welcome back Will and Grace. You’ve come at the perfect time.

RIP Debbie Reynolds

I’m starting to think that death is playing a sick joke on us. I’ve stopped counting the number of celebrities we’ve lost this year.

Two days ago, we lost George Michael. Yesterday, actress and writer Carrie Fisher died from a heart attack. A short time ago, it was announced that Carrie’s mother, Debbie Reynolds died from a stroke.

A friend of mine joked on Facebook that George RR Martin must be the man behind the throne this year.

Debbie Reynolds was one of the last living icons of the studio system. Her breakthrough role was in Singin’ In The Rain (1952), opposite Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor. Though Ms. Reynolds played the wide-eyed innocent in the 1950’s, her real life was far from her on-screen persona. She was married three times, her first husband, the late crooner Eddie Fisher was the father of her children, Carrie (of Star Wars fame) and Todd. Eddie infamously left his wife and children for Elizabeth Taylor after the death of Ms. Taylor’s third husband, Mike Todd. Enduring two more divorces and bankruptcy, Debbie Reynolds will stay in our collective consciousness as one of the legends of old Hollywood.

I have to admit that while I admired Ms. Reynolds for her decades long career, my favorite role of hers will be Bobbi Adler, Grace Adler’s(Debra Messing) mother on Will and Grace.

RIP Debbie, you and Carrie are back together.

Will and Grace and the 2016 Election

Last night, the cast of Will And Grace released a short reunion episode. The name of the episode is Hot Food and it was all about the election.

The last episode of Will And Grace aired 10 years ago. It was as if the show never went off the air. It was funny, it was brilliant and it was completely relevant.

I want more.

Happy Tuesday.

RIP Gene Wilder

Last night, the world lost Gene Wilder, one of the greats of the comedy world.

Born to an Eastern European Jewish family who found a new home in Milwaukee, Gene Wilder (birth name Jerome Silberman) was known for playing characters that were slightly off base, a little manic and not all there sometimes.

His most famous roles range from the very 1970’s Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971) to his most famous collaborations with Mel Brooks: The Producers (1967) Young Frankenstein (1974).

In recent years, he took a step back from the spotlight, but did return to the small screen for a minor recurring role in Will And Grace in 2002 and 2003.

Off screen, colleagues and friends remembered him for being a gentle, caring human being. Married four times, his third marriage was to the late Gilda Radner, a comedy giant in her own right.

RIP Gene. Thanks for the laughs.

May 18th, 2006

May 18th, 2006 was a sad day for the fans of Will & Grace.

It was the date of the series finale.

Premiering in 1998, Will & Grace told the story of two best friends, gay lawyer Will Truman (Eric McCormack) and straight fashion designer Grace Adler (Debra Messing) sharing an apartment in New York City.

Best friends since college, Will is the Felix Ungar to Grace’s Oscar Madison.   Upping the comedy ante (and makes fans belly laugh countless times of the 8 years that the series was on the air) was Karen Walker (Megan Mullally), Grace’s pill popping, boozed up socialite assistant and Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes), a gay man who was out, proud and slightly outlandish.

For eight years, this foursome made audiences laugh, shed a tear every once in a while and think. Both Will and Jack represented the LGBTQ community on television in a way that had not been done before. Instead of relying on stereotypes, these men were fully fleshed out human beings who spoke loudly and proudly for a community that has been slowly over the years becoming accepted as part of the mainstream.

The influence of this show is priceless. In 2012, when Vice President Joe Biden stated that Will & Grace paved the way for the federal marriage equality act, that is a legacy to be proud of.

I am forever a fan and I am forever grateful that these characters are a part of my life.

Happy Thursday.

Flashback Friday-TV Edition Part II-Will and Grace

In 1998, a new television show called Will and Grace premiered. The television landscape would never be the same again.

Will Truman (Eric McCormack) is a gay lawyer whose long term relationship has just ended. His best friend Grace (Debra Messing) is a straight interior designer who has just gotten engaged, but the engagement is off to a rocky start. Adding in Grace’s sometimes helpful assistant Karen (Megan Mullally) and Will’s initial guide to the gay world Jack (Sean Hayes), this foursome was an essential part of the must see TV lineup during it’s eight year run.

It is often said that good TV comes down to good writing and this show had great writing. The characters were flawed and human, but also funny and realistic. Without knowing it, Will and Grace broke new ground. Not just on American television, but in our overall society. We are a better country for having this show on the air.

I still love the reruns, they never fail to make me laugh.