Dolly Parton made a surprise appearance on this week’s episode of Fox’s “Call me Kat” to pay tribute to the show’s late co-star Leslie Jordan.
“Dear friend, there’ll be no sad farewell, there’ll be no tear-dimmed eyes,” the country superstar sang to Jordan in a prerecorded message that aired during Thursday’s episode of the beloved sitcom.
The verse is from a song she recorded with Jordan for his 2021 album “Company’s Comin’” titled “Where the Soul Never Dies.”
“I know usually at a memorial, people talk about somebody. Well, I’m going to talk to you,” Parton said. “Because there is that place on the other side, and I’m certainly going to see you there, little brother. You left a lot of people here with a lot of precious, precious memories. Everybody loved you, but I doubt many of them loved you more than I did.”
Jordan, who played a newly single gay man who worked as the head baker at a cafe owned by Kat (Mayim Bialik), died in a car crash in Los Angeles late last year. He was 67.
“I just want you to know that we all love you,” Parton continued, “we all miss you, and I bet you’re having a big laugh over all of us being sad and sorrowful, and I know that would be the last thing you would want us to be.”
The beloved actor and comedian — who became a household name in the early aughts after playing the hilarious frenemy of Karen Walker (Megan Mullaly) on NBC’s “Will and Grace” — was rediscovered and celebrated by a new generation of fans after his quarantine videos went viral in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You made us happy while you were here and we’re happy that you’re at peace. I just want you to know that I will always love you,” Parton said to her friend and fellow Tennessean. “Goodbye, my sweet Leslie. See you over there,” she added.
