Leslie Jordan leaves behind a legacy of kindness, laughter and delightful sass
Countless people have shared how his videos helped them through tough times.

Fans and celebrities alike are mourning Leslie Jordan.
If you thought you didn't know Leslie Jordan, chances are you've stumbled across at least one of his videos during the pandemic where he said something funny and a little sassy with his unique southern drawl. Jordan was more recently on "American Horror Story" and "Call Me Kat," but many people remember him as Karen's BFF on "Will & Grace." His character Beverley Leslie was to Karen as Ethel was to Lucy, always a hoot when they got together. Jordan passed away unexpectedly October 24, he was 67.
It's suspected that Jordan had a medical emergency while driving when he crashed into the side of a building in Hollywood. Heartfelt tributes have been pouring in from celebrities and fans alike, with the overwhelming theme being how genuinely kind he was. It has truly been a celebration of life unfolding across social media for the star after TMZ broke the news.
Several celebrities took to social media to share their disbelief. Loni Love simply retweeted TMZ's article and added "Noooooooooo" at the top. Jordan seemed to somehow be everyone's friend and it shows in the tributes to the late star. Some fans are recounting how he helped them through the pandemic.
At the start of the pandemic everyone seemed to be full of hope, and "flattening the curve" seemed like the most patriotic thing you could do. But after being told for what felt like the 300th time that restrictions would be continued, people started having some feelings about it. Then Jordan entered with his video shenanigans that kept us laughing while we all felt trapped inside.
Jordan liked to check in on everyone using videos on Instagram to keep people entertained and feeling less lonely with stories from his life. He typically started his videos with "well shit, how y'all doing?" before launching into a smile-inducing tirade or story about something ridiculous that happened. The comedian could even make the mundane sound hilarious with his attitude and his sometimes over-the-top gestures.
After the release of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP," he had the entire internet laughing when he recorded himself listening to the song for the first time. Jordan also used his short Instagram videos to tell funny stories about his mother. All of these things solidified his place in people's hearts when everyone was just looking for a little sunshine in what seemed like a hopeless never-ending situation.
The actor truly left a joyous legacy behind. Viola Davis, Jordan's "The Help" co-star captured the sentiment many others have shared who have worked with the star.
Davis wrote on Facebook, "Oh no!!! Leslie!! I have nothing but the fondest memories of you while filming The Help. I'd never been in the presence of anyone who loved life and people as much as you. Your heart was as big as your humor. You lived. You took up space. You were present. Rest well!! I'm proud to have known you."
Jordan certainly lived life well and his final curtain call has revealed that he made people feel seen and well loved. That's certainly a legacy to cherish.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."