Tuesday, October 25, 2022

ABC Holiday Specials 2022 Schedule; Remembering Sitcom Star Leslie Jordan of Hearts Afire, Will & Grace and Call Me Kat

ABC Holiday Programming 2022

ABC announced its holiday programming in anticipation of the most wonderful time of the year, which includes a lineup filled with merriment, beloved classics and uplifting new specials. Two dazzling specials featuring some of the biggest names in music will bring melodies in December: A Very Backstreet Christmas celebrates the holidays with The Backstreet Boys, and Finding Harmony is an uplifting story featuring EGOT winner John Legend and David Brown, founder of the Columbus-based Harmony Project in Ohio. Disney will kick off its 100th anniversary celebration during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2023.

More highlights include Disney's new stop-motion holiday special, Mickey Saves Christmas; the return of CMA Country Christmas from Nashville; holiday-themed episodes of ABC's favorite comedies and game shows; and Wonderful World of Disney movies that families can enjoy, including a special airing of Home Alone on Christmas Eve and the broadcast premiere of Frozen II. ABC News is also set to air Love Actually: 20 Years Later - A Diane Sawyer/ABC News Special and The Year: 2022. A magical new season of The Great Christmas Light Fight also returns, along with news of a season 11 pickup for 2023. Additional movies, musicals and specials round out the holiday season on ABC - see the full lineup.


Leslie Jordan

Emmy-winning actor, comedian, writer and singer Leslie Jordan, who starred as Lonnie Garr on Hearts Afire, as Beverley Leslie on Will & Grace and as Phil on Call Me Kat, has died. He died on October 24 after his car hit the side of a building at Cahuenga Boulevard and Romaine Street in Hollywood. He was believed to have experienced a medical episode that led to the crash. Mr. Jordan was 67.

The People Next Door

Jordan's first sitcom starring role was as meddlesome mailman Truman Fipps on the short-lived 1989 CBS sitcom The People Next Door. The series also starred Jeffrey Jones, Mary Gross, Chance Quinn, Jaclyn Bernstein and Christina Pickles.

He played Emmet Lefebvre on the short-lived 1991 Fox sitcom Top of the Heap. Emmet Lefebre is the diminutive security guard at the Rolling Hills Country Club outside Chicago. The Married with Children spin-off also starred Joseph Bologna, Matt LeBlanc, Joey Lauren Adams and Rita Moreno.

Hearts Afire - John Ritter and Leslie Jordan

Jordan starred as Lonnie Garr in 27 episodes of the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire from 1993 to 1995. Lonnie Garr is a big-talking but insecure printer at The Daily Beacon paper. The cast included John Ritter, Markie Post, Billy Bob Thornton, Justin Burnette (1992-1994), J. Skylar Testa (1994-1995), Clark Duke, Wendie Jo Sperber (1992-1993), Beth Broderick (1992-1993), George Gaynes (1992-1993), Edward Asner (1992-1993) and Conchata Ferrell (1993-1995).

Will & Grace - Megan Mullally and Leslie Jordan

He had a recurring role as Beverley Leslie in 17 episodes of the NBC sitcom Will & Grace from 2001 to 2006 and 2017 to 2020. Beverley Leslie is Karen Walker's (Megan Mullally) pretentious, sexually ambiguous rival. Jordan won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2006. The cast included Eric McCormack, Debra Messing and Sean Hayes.

The Cool Kids

Jordan starred as Sidney "Sid" Delacroix on the 2018-2019 Fox sitcom The Cool Kids. The series follows three male residents of the Shady Meadows Retirement Community who are forced to adapt to the arrival of a new, rebellious female occupant. It also starred David Alan Grier, Martin Mull and Vicki Lawrence.

Call Me Kat

He was starring as Phil on the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat, which is currently in its third season. Phil is a newly single gay man who works as the head baker at Kat's (Mayim Bialik) café. The cast includes Swoosie Kurtz, Kyla Pratt, Julian Grant, Cheyenne Jackson and Christopher Rivas.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Night Court, Annie McGuire, Murphy Brown, Newhart, Sugar and Spice, American Dreamer, Babes, Perfect Strangers, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, Getting By, Nurses, Coach, Weird Science, Wings, Arli$$, Ellen, Dharma & Greg, Caroline in the City, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Reba, George Lopez, Shake It Up, The Game, The Neighbors, Raising Hope, The Exes, Baby Daddy, K.C. Undercover and Life in Pieces.

Jordan starred as Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore on the NBC police drama Reasonable Doubts from 1992 to 1993. He played Lemar Samuels on the 1992-1993 CBS police drama Bodies of Evidence. He played Dr. Benjamin Harris in two episodes of Ally McBeal and five episodes of Boston Public. In 2005, he played Bernard Ferrion in five episodes of Boston Legal. He had a recurring role as Jesse Jo in five episodes of Hidden Palms in 2007. He played several characters in recurring roles in the American Horror Story franchise.

Some of his drama guest appearances included The Fall Guy, The Wizard, Midnight Caller, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Charlie Grace, Star Trek: Voyager, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Pretender, Pacific Blue, Buddy Faro, Martial Law, Any Day Now, Nash Bridges, Monk, Ugly Betty, Privileged, Desperate Housewives and Fantasy Island (2021).

Mr. Jordan was a beloved actor, comedian and Instagram sensation. He made everything he appeared in much better. He was always a big scene stealer. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment that he brought us. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Call Me Kat message board. View photos in our galleries.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Saturday, April 1

Act Your Age - "Weekend At Bernie's" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bernadette's childhood friends come to town, stirring up feelings of jealousy with Angela and Keisha; Olivia launches her new online platform.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 27)

Friday, March 31

  • Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about The Super Mario Bros. Movie on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
  • Ike Barinholtz (History of the World, Part II/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project) - Ike appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Jamie Lee Curtis (Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke appears on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Animal Practice/Better with You/Reba) and Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - JoAnna and Morris guest co-host The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Heather Graham (Californication/Emily's Reasons Why Not/Scrubs) - Heather appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
  • Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
  • Kyra Sedgwick (Call Your Mother) - Kyra talks about Space Oddity on NBC's Today in the 10am hour. She will also be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
  • John Owen Lowe (Unstable) - John is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
  • Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney talks about her new OnlyFans comedy roast series Whitney Cummings Presents on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym joins Sherri on the couch to talk about their NAACP Image Award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas and her sitcom Act Your Age on Bounce TV on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Leslie Odom Jr. (Love in the Time of Corona/Big Dady) and Nicolette Robinson (Love in the Time of Corona/Perfect Couples) - Leslie and Nicolette talk about I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Christina Milian (Grandfathered) and Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know spotlights Celia Cruz as first Afro-Latina on a U.S. quarter with family and celebrity guests Christina Milian, Amara La Negra and Judy Reyes at 1pm.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Ghosts - Season One Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Ten Growing Pains - The Complete Series

11/08 - Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/08 - Young Rock - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/15 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Seven / The Complete Season Eight
11/22 - That '70s Show - The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
11/29 - Ghosts - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/06 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Christmas Collection
12/13 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season
12/13 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

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03/31 - NBC Summer 2023 Schedule; Carpool Karaoke: The Series Returns Today on Apple TV+
03/30 - Single Drunk Female Returns April 12; ABC's Not Dead Yet Premiere Scores Big in 35-Day Data
03/29 - Adult Swim Orders Season 2 of Royal Crackers; Game Show Network 2023 Upfront
03/28 - Platonic Gets Premiere Date on Apple TV+; SNL April Guest Hosts and Music Guests
03/27 - ABC Summer 2023 Schedule, Includes Return of The Wonder Years; HBO Max's Clone High Details
03/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 27, 2023)
03/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Arrested Development Staying on Netflix (and Leaving Hulu); Grey's Anatomy Gets Season 20 Renewal
03/24 - Rewind TV Celebrates Mork & Mindy's 45th Anniversary on Earth Day; Disney's 6th Season of Raven's Home on April 9
03/23 - Antenna TV's Earth Day My Favorite Martian Marathon; Neil Patrick Harris Returns on How I Met Your Father
03/22 - Game Show Network Orders Tom Cavanagh Hosted Game Show; A Black Lady Sketch Show Returns for Season 4
03/21 - All That Stars to Reunite for Good Burger 2; Jim Belushi Returns For Another Season of Growing Belushi
03/20 - 2023 90s Con Recap in Hartford; Bel-Air Gets Season 3 on Peacock
03/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 20, 2023)
03/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: New Sitcoms for Terry Crews and Wendi McLendon-Covey; Zachary Levi Holding Out Hope for Chuck Movie
03/17 - AXS TV Acquires The Monkees for Retro Night Block; HBO Max's The Other Two Returns in May
03/16 - Monk Returns with One Final Case on Peacock; John Mulaney Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
03/15 - Apple TV+ Orders Comedy with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey; CBS 2023 Season Finale Dates
03/14 - Disney+ Comedy American Born Chinese Premieres May 24; Tim Robinson Comedy to Return May 30 on Netflix
03/13 - New Girl Coming to Hulu and Peacock; Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 2
03/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 13, 2023)
03/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Beavis and Butt-Head Gets Second Season Renewal; Roles Cast in Bedrock Series
03/10 - Act Your Age Opens as Biggest Launch in Bounce History; Starz Comedy Blindspotting Returns April 14
03/09 - Mary Tyler Moore Film Premieres This May on HBO; Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head Returns for Season 2
03/08 - HBO's Barry Returns April 16; Schmigadoon! Trailer for Season 2
03/07 - American Dad! Season 18 Premieres March 27; Hulu's Tiny Beautiful Things Launches April 7
03/06 - Antenna TV Spring 2023 Schedule; Rewind TV Spring 2023 Schedule
03/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 6, 2023)
03/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rachael Ray to End After 17 Seasons; Fox Renews Krapopolis for Third Season
03/03 - The Thundermans Return; TMZ's New Game Show
03/02 - Fox Renews Krapopolis for Season 3; Disney Channel's New Comedy Saturdays
03/01 - HBO Max Chuck Lorre Comedy Sets Production; New Shonda Rhimes White House Series