Actor Leslie Jordan honors his mother
Actor and comedian Leslie Jordan’s mother, Peggy Ann Jordan, of Chattanooga, has died at age 86 with her family by her side.
She was introduced to the world when Leslie Jordan became a surprise viral sensation sharing Instagram stories — often about his mom — while the family weathered the pandemic together in Chattanooga in 2020.
Leslie Jordan, 67, is known for his roles in “Call Me Kat,” “Will & Grace” and “American Horror Story.”
In 2021, he reflected on the comforting reassurance his mom offered when he headed to Los Angeles to begin a career in show business.
“When I got on the bus in 1982 to come to Hollywood, my mother told me, ‘Always know that if it doesn’t work out, you can come back to a standing ovation,’” he said.
Leslie Jordan said his mother always supported and accepted him as a gay man, even if she didn’t fully understand him. As a child growing up in the late ’50s and ’60s, he said, his mom created a safe space where he could express himself however he wanted.
The comedian shared the loss of his mother with his followers in a post on Monday.
“Mama is no longer with us, but she will live on in our memories and stories,” he wrote. “Mama, I will always love you. Light. Love. Leslie is yours.”
THAT TRIP TO FLORIDA
One of the first quarantine stories he shared on Instagram was about a trip his mom and his twin sisters — or, as he likes to say, “Mama and them” — took to Kissimmee, Florida.
There was a disagreement about the city’s pronunciation, and it wasn’t settled when they stopped for lunch.
Peggy Ann Jordan adored how the city was named “kissa-me.” However, her daughter said that it was a Native American name and called “Ka-sem-mee.”
When they stopped for lunch and Peggy Ann Jordan asked a local where they were, the lady looked at them and said “Burger King.”
HEARING … DIFFERENTLY
Leslie Jordan stated that he’d been thinking all day of funny stories in tribute of his mom after she passed. And he gave her a perfect send-off by sharing two more memories that poked fun at his mother often mishearing things.
In one instance, she wanted to know the name of an actor from the TV series “Fantasy Island.” Her daughter called out, “Hervé Villechaize.”
“It hasn’t come yet … my VA check,” Peggy Ann Jordan yelled back.
And one time, Leslie Jordan told his mom that he was going to “catch up on my sleep” while he was in Chattanooga.
His mother asked, “How did that happen?”
Leslie Jordan repeated that he needed more sleep, and his mom said, “No, how’d you get ketchup on your sleeve?”