Emmy Winner Leslie Jordan: "I Wanted To Be The Gay Version Of Hugh Hefner"

Leslie Jordan (image via Facebook)

In a new interview with Attitude Magazine, Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan says he’s enjoying playing it straight on his Sky TV/UK series, Living The Dream, because he’s been the ‘go-to gay guy’ for so long.

In Living The Dream, Jordan plays ‘Aiden,’ a resident of a caravan park in Florida. The character is straight, which Jordan finds refreshing.

“I like it because it’s different,” says the 63-year-old. “This season I have a flirtation with Paula Wilcox. Last season, I was desperately in love with Jen, played by Lesley.”

“I like that because I tell you, in the US I’m the go-to gay guy,” he adds. “The all-gay men, the all-gay queen. You need an old sissy called Leslie? I’m there.”

Jordan also likes that the casting director took him to lunch and pursued him (“That doesn’t happen a lot”).

With appearances on Will & Grace (“We’re doing more”), his new FOX TV series The Cool Kids, plus Living The Dream, Jordan candidly declares, “I got rich for the first time ever. I got money.”

Attitude follows up on that imagining the “rich” part would have come with Will & Grace?”

Nope.

Sean Hayes & Leslie Jordan on 'Will & Grace'

“I was making $7,500 an episode which is starting salary,” says Jordan. “And they were making $750,000 - I made one per cent.”

Even though he won the Emmy (“I didn’t win the Emmy until the show was off the air”), he laments that he didn’t get to cash in on the big success of the show.

And Jordan had some big dreams.

“When I got to Hollywood, I wanted a big house up in the Hollywood Hills and I wanted to be the gay version of Hugh Hefner,” the actor told Attitude. “I wanted seven twinkly blond boys in their thongs all over me and I wanted everyone to come to my house on Sunday and have brunch. But my life is so not that!”

That’s ok, Leslie, I think you are “so that!”

Living The Dream returns to the air in UK January 8 on Sky TV, and The Cool Kids airs Thursdays on Fox at 8:30pm.

(h/t Attitude)