THE HOLLYWOOD MUSEUM’S TRIBUTE TO LESLIE JORDAN AND REAL TO REEL EXHIBIT OPENING

The Hollywood Museum always throws the most fabulous fetes for the opening of each new exhibit. So when I realized that I hadn’t been able to make appearances at any of them in over a year, (as Mr. X always says, I’m “overbooked,”) I was happy to finally show-up there again the other night to help them celebrate their latest one, the eleventh annual Real to Reel: Portrayals and Perceptions of LGBTQ+s in Hollywood.

It was such a special evening. In addition to unveiling this latest exhibit, the Museum bestowed their inaugural Leslie Jordan Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously to…Leslie Jordan, of course. (More on that award ceremony in a minute.)

And everyone was dressed fabulously for the occasion, with sooo many different fashion looks. I thought that I was being clever to rock my rarely-worn multi-colored pants, as an ally of the community. I even searched my house for my long-lost rainbow peace-sign bracelet to go along with it. And then I noticed that just about half the assemblage was rainbow-attired! So at least I fit right in.

Now let me go in order of the festivities, which began in the…elevator. With a bar! For those of you who have never been to the Museum before, it features a gigantic elevator, with seats on one side, and a disco ball above!!!

So everyone was already in great spirits by the time we reached the floor where they were serving the appetizers. It was all delicious. Some of the treats were set-up on a table on the side of that bar, and included the most delicious hotdogs in blankets ever, along with little dishes containing cheese, crackers, salami, and grapes. No one really needed any more than that, but then they passed hors d’oeuvres, as well. They were very thoughtful to include a lot of vegetarian treats, such as tiny taco cups, mini pizza bites, and three-layered tea sandwiches.

It was all very plentiful. And it was definitely enough to fill everyone up for the rest of the night. So when they told us to go to one more floor of the museum, where the presentation would take place, I was shocked to see even more food! It was actually pretty amazing. On this buffet, there was shrimp cocktail, steak and mashed potatoes, meatballs, mini cups of mac & cheese, and Chinese chicken salad, in little take-out containers, of course.

But the best part to me was the many desserts! Also of course. There was lemon cake, peach cobbler, little chocolate and nut bites, and my absolute fave—tiny strawberry shortcakes with whipped cream. If I had known those lovelies were going to be there, I wouldn’t have eaten anything else all night. I could have inhaled that entire display.

After about an hour of eating and schmoozing, the actual presentation began. There were many speeches, (most likely too many, judging by how some *rudesters in the crowd just kept on loudly partying during them.) *[Note: The organizers could have used Arnold Schwarzenegger there to quiet them. He once invited me to an event he was hosting at his gym in Venice, and when some people were still talking as he was giving his speech, he scolded, literally, in his intimidating, accented way, “You’re being very rude. And I don’t appreciate it!” The crowd shut right up.]

And then it was time to give the Lifetime Achievement Award to Leslie Jordan, posthumously. (This was the first of its kind, so it’s now named after him for posterity.) For those of you who aren’t familiar with Leslie, he was an adorable, funny actor, who became famous for posting comic videos during the pandemic. Just when he was finally a full-time regular on a TV series, he died on the way to work this past fall, to everyone’s shock. (He technically had crashed his car, but that was because of a medical issue that he was having at the time. What a loss.)

First up with the tributes was Founder and President of the Hollywood Museum, Donelle Dadigan, who read a few messages from people who could not be there. I was glad to hear one from my old pal Jamie Farr, of M*A*S*H fame. (Way back in the day, he and his wife Joy, and Mr. X and I, did Tattletales together. Mr. X and I are the all-time Champs of that show, having won for our audience members all five days, and whenever Jamie and I have bumped into each other since then, he’s still amazed that Mr. X and my crazy answers about each other were correct! So I would have loved to see him again. Hopefully, at the Museum’s next fete.)

Donelle also read a note from Leslie’s sister, saying that her brother had told her that he wanted to be remembered “only as kind.” I love that! But he was very funny, as well, which the rest of the speakers told us about.

The most hilarious, of course, was writer and actor, (and another of my old pals,) Bruce Vilanch. He made us laugh from the get-go, by stating, “Let me clear something up for you football fans—I am not Travis Kelce’s mother.”  I laughed the loudest at that one. I cannot tell how many people wrote to me when Donna Kelce became famous, (for supporting her NFL-playing sons at their games,) and jokingly asked me if that was Bruce Vilanch!!! The duo even rock the same eyeglasses from time-to-time!

Bruce told many warm and personal stories about Leslie, having worked together and been friends for many years. He used a great word to describe the funny actor—“ebullient.” Perfect!

And then another of Leslie’s longtime friends, writer and producer Del Shores, accepted the inaugural Leslie Jordan Lifetime Achievement Award on Leslie’s behalf. It was all very bittersweet, but with tons of laughs.

The most special moment of the night for me, though, was spotting, and then meeting, actor John Tucker. I saw him years ago in one of my favorite local productions ever, the wonderful hip-hop musical Ride Or Die in the Hollywood Fringe festival. Mr. X and I have been quoting his best line, “You’re getting on my last nerve,” ever since. (It wasn’t the line so much as John’s spot-on delivery that we parrot.) I’m thrilled I got to meet him and tell him how much we loved him and the entire show. I thank the Hollywood Museum for bringing us together.

Now you can have your own special moment there. It’s not just this particular exhibit, (which will be there for the rest of this Pride Month and beyond,) that’s interesting—the entire place is fascinating. It’s a must not just for out-of-towners, but for all of us denizens, as well.

Real to Reel: Portrayals and Perceptions of LGBTQ+s in Hollywood 

The Hollywood Museum  1660 Highland Ave.  Hollywood
323-464-7776  www.TheHollywoodMuseum.com