You might know Leslie Jordan from the Mayim Bialik show Call Me Kat or The Cool Kids with David Alan Grier, Martin Mull, and Vicki Lawrence. You may know him from Will & Grace or American Horror Story or Boston Legal. Or The Help. Or countless other television shows or movies he’s been in. You might know him from his one-man show. Or you as a fairly recent Instagram sensation. It doesn’t matter how you know him; it only matters that you do. Because he’s fantastic.
His new book, How Y’all Doing?, is a testament to his Southern heritage, to his time in Hollywood, to his recovery from alcohol and drugs, and to his gay pride. He doesn’t hold anything back as he tells stories of his childhood, of his time working at a horse farm, of his volunteering with AIDS patients, of his successes and challenges as an actor, and of trying to find his way through the maze of social media. He bounces around between his favorite places and different times of his life, but he always keeps the stories coming.
Where else will you find a man who got a pony when he was a little kid, sang a duet with Dolly Parton, got to talk to his friend Octavia Spencer on the phone right after she won her Oscar for The Help (he didn’t expect her to answer the phone, just wanted to leave a message of congratulations), filmed a scene for American Horror Story on the forest floor with Lady Gaga on top of him, and had Debbie Reynolds call his mother to explain the challenges of being in Hollywood—particularly, being in the tabloids—after an unfortunate photo of himself was published? I don’t think you’ll find anyone whose life has reached so many different areas, or whose stories could make all those different experiences come together in one book.
Leslie Jordan is a born storyteller, and whether it’s through Instagram, through his one-man show on stage, through his many and diverse roles, or through a book like How Y’all Doing?, he brings the full force of his personality and lets it all hang out for his audience. And no matter where you meet him, he will be there with humor, grace, strength of character, and true Southern hospitality to welcome you in.
I grew up in the Midwest, but I went to college in Tennessee and stayed for many more years. As a Midwesterner, I didn’t really understand the culture of the South. I didn’t really think we were all that different. But after spending time there, I came to understand just how different the experience of growing up Southern is, and how special it is. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be in Tennessee for any length of time, spending time with Chattanooga-born Leslie Jordan will give you the full experience. Because that’s exactly what this book is—it’s Southern culture on a page. He may have spent many years in Hollywood, but he never lost ahold of his Southern roots. And for this girl, back again in the Midwest, reading this book felt like a trip back to Tennessee, in the best possible way.
I loved this book, and I think it’s the perfect read for Southerners and those who want to understand what it means to be Southern. It’s for actors and fans, horse people and humor lovers, readers of tabloids and literary fiction, those in recovery, and anyone else who wants to remember the best parts of being human, of getting older and wiser, and finding your voice to sing hymns and tell stories. How Y’all Doing? is a true gem, just like Leslie Jordan himself. And if you still don’t know who he is, find the television show Hearts Afire streaming somewhere, make some popcorn, and settle in for a heck of a ride.
Egalleys for How Y’all Doing? were provided by William Morrow through NetGalley, with many thanks.
