Leslie Jordan's Former Costars Hold Impromptu Memorial: 'We're Not Gonna Stay Sad, We're Gonna Celebrate'

Leslie Jordan held a special place in many people's hearts, and some of those closest to the beloved character actor gathered this weekend to honor his memory.

Jordan had been scheduled to join his costars in Palm Springs, California, on Saturday to celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the cult-favorite film Sordid Lives. Jordan starred in the fan-favorite role of "Brother Boy" in the 1996 play that led to a 2000 movie, a 2008 TV series and a 2017 sequel A Very Sordid Wedding.

Jordan counted Olivia Newton-John, Rue McClanahan, Caroline Rhea, Delta Burke, Beau Bridges, Beth Grant and Dale Dickey among his costars in the project over the years. Whoopi Goldberg also made a cameo in A Very Sordid Wedding.

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Writer/director Del Shores and producer/star Emerson Collins took the stage at the Camelot Theatre at Saturday night's event, which was also a fundraiser for The Del Shores Foundation for which Jordan served a Co-Chair of the Honorary Board.

"We're not so great," Shores acknowledged, "but we're here, and y'all make everything better. It's been a sad week for us."

He continued, "There was a discussion for a while that we were gonna cancel because I was just so 'tore up,' as we say in the South, over Leslie's death."

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"It's been an interesting week," Collins added. "As people have been remembering, it's been challenging to put those into words. And then as this became an impromptu memorial service of sorts, we figured there was no better way than to kick it off than with a special message in song by Rosemary and Newell Alexander."

The Alexanders — who also starred alongside Jordan in the Sordid series since 2000 — then paid homage to their friend's love of hymns.

They introduced John R. Butler's four-letter-word-laden take on a church song, "The Hand of the Almighty," by telling the audience: "Leslie would do anything to get a laugh, and we learned from him. And the thing is, it's important at a memorial to have a spiritual message, so we're going to share a hymn with you."

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Before a costume contest that was, fittingly, won by one of the many attendees dressed up as Brother Boy, Shores and Emerson also introduced two winners of a $25,000 grant from the Del Shores Foundation.

"It's just very exciting because we've done so many things that are around us, and as we sat and listened to their words, it was very exciting to think about this family that Del built, that Rosemary and Newell and Ann [Walker] built, that Leslie built," said Collins. "So we are having new voices and new people that come from 'the same kind of dirt,' as Del often says, that we do."

Just before the screening of Sordid Lives, Shores also shared a fond memory of the time he enlisted Rosemary Alexander to prank Jordan.

"There are at least three versions of this story — because, you know, as Mark Twain said, 'Never let the truth get in the way of a good story,'" he began. "And Leslie told this story often. It got just bawdier and bawdier with his telling of it."

He continued, "Closing night, those of you who in theater know that sometimes you play a joke on somebody." Shores recalled that he asked Rosemary — who played a sexually aggressive psychotherapist charged with trying to "de-homosexualize" Jordan's Texan character — "Will you do me a favor? Will you do the show tonight without any panties?" to cheekily bring to life a scene when Jordan noticed the naughty doctor was going commando.

In hindsight on Saturday, Rosemary put her head in her hands as Shores went on: "You know, this is my former mother-in-law, y'all — that's how twisted and sordid my life is."

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Shores continued that "everybody knew" about the risqué switcheroo except Jordan himself — and when it came time to say his line, it was interrupted by a shriek (which Shores reenacted).

As the audience laughed, Shores recalled, "It was the first time that I saw Leslie Jordan not have any words to say. He finally recovered, we finished the show, and came up to me and he said, 'Delferd, that's the meanest thing you've ever done to me. I hadn't seen one of those since high school!"

Shores concluded, "He brought so much joy into my life. He made my life and my career a better place, and I know he did to all of you and millions and millions of people. We love you Leslie!"

Collins later became emotional backstage as he said, "It's a very special night. That we already had this planned just seemed somehow magically appropriate that the work that we are doing, that [Del and Leslie] made together, that we are making this possible for new LGBTQ+ writers seems like a lovely honoring of Del and Leslie's muse and writer relationship. So it's really special to have a full house of people who really love this piece to laugh and cry and celebrate together. He belonged to all of us."

CBS via Getty Leslie Jordan

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Jordan, 67, died in a car crash on Oct. 24 after suffering an apparent medical emergency. PEOPLE confirmed the news before it was announced on his official Instagram.

"The love and light that Leslie shared will never go out and we invite you to share their memories and comfort each other during this time," the post read. "In the coming days we will be giving a glimpse of a project Leslie was really proud of and was looking forward to sharing with the world."

Jordan most famous for his scene-stealing roles, including his portrayal of Beverley Leslie in Will & Grace, which earned him a 2006 Primetime Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series.

He also appeared in movie and TV series, including Sordid Lives, The Help, Murphy Brown, Ugly Betty, Boston Public and American Horror Story, and he was starring in Fox's Call Me Kat at the time of his death.

Handout/Getty

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Jordan found a new following amid the COVID-19 pandemic for his hilarious Instagram posts. In the aftermath of his death, tributes from fellow performers flooded social media, including one from Bravo's Andy Cohen, who mentioned Jordan's social media renaissance.

"I'm taking to my Instagram Story to talk about Leslie Jordan since Instagram was his medium," said Cohen, 54. "I just think it's so sad. Who wants to live in a world without Leslie Jordan?"

And friend Dolly Parton was among the many country artists who mourned Jordan's loss.

"Well I am as hurt and shocked as if I have lost a family member," the country icon, 76, wrote in a heartbreaking tribute. "Leslie and I had a special bond, I think the world felt they had a special bond with him. I know people always say, 'Oh, they will be missed' but in this case that could not be more true. He will be missed by everyone who knew him personally and by everyone who was entertained by him. Rest in peace lil' brother."