Tuesday, October 25, 2022
ABC Holiday Specials 2022 Schedule; Remembering Sitcom Star Leslie Jordan of Hearts Afire, Will & Grace and Call Me Kat

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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, May 8
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Ladies Love Brunch" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie tries to juggle his mom, his mother-in-law and Mandy on Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, Audrey wants to meet Connor’s girlfriend.
Ghosts - "The Devil Went Down to Woodstone" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay host a big party for the launch of Sam and Isaac’s vampire book. Mary Holland (Patience), Punam Patel (Bela) and Matt Walsh (Elias Woodstone) return as guest stars.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)
Thursday, May 8
- Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Netflix's Survival of the Thickest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) and Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Maria and Doug are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- John Benjamin Hickey (HouseBroken/The Big C/It's All Relative) - John stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
- Patricia Clarkson (Davis Rules) - Patricia is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
- Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - E! News has an interview with Kerry at 11pm on E!. Kerry and Omar Sy discuss their highly anticipated new film Shadow Force on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel chats about Juliet & Romeo on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - In A Little Bit Extra Valerie and Ross Mathews are sharing more of their conversation with Al Roker in Charleston at the Food & Wine Classic on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) and Randall Park (Young Rock/Blockbuster/Fresh Off the Boat/Veep/Supah Ninjas) - Morris and Randall talk about Watson on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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