Jay Leno Tickled By Ryan Phillippe's Former Role As Gay Teen
On last Wednesday's The Tonight Show, Towleroad notes, Ryan Phillippe popped by to promote Stop-Loss. Host Jay Leno--a man being courted aggressively by studios and networks, with promises of eight-figure contracts and brand new theatres bearing his name--opened the interview with questions about Phillippe's first paying job on One Life To Live.
On last Wednesday's The Tonight Show, In 1993, when he was 17, Phillippe was cast in a groundbreaking role on the long-running soap, playing the first openly gay teenager on network TV--a subject way ahead-of-its-time, and that most agree was handled responsibly. Leno then proceeds to mine the comedic gold inherent in this mock-worthy topic, starting with his best, "Gee, your parents must have been thrilled" material before segueing into a tight bit in which he suggests "that camera is your gay lover...can you give me your gayest look?" Phillippe threatens to leave twice, more seriously the second time, after Leno goes on to bring up a David LaChapelle-directed Armani ad in which Ryan is--get this guys--naked! In a fashion ad! Directed by a swishy photographer-type! How fruity is that? Phillippe ends up staying, clinging all the while to a vision of Leno flying off of a cliff in one of his ZZ Top gangster cars. We truly wish he hadn't.
- The Tonight Show [NBC]
4:35 AM on Tue Mar 25 2008
by Seth
View: AU Comments (1) | US Comments (22 comments)
Leno's a talentless twerp. That's his attempt at being edgy? When a guest is genuinely irritated by a line of questions once...you stop. Try asking some of Howard Stern's questions like you usually do - only stay away from gay stuff - because you aren't as well known for it - and by the way - he isn't gay - he gets more tail around Hollywood than you ever did (*cough*Sandra Bernhardt*cough) - I can't imagine his wife Mavis putting up with his crap. Hey Mavis - guess what - you can take 1/2 those cars of his and sell them for $1 eachon ebay if you want to get back at him....just a thought. Counting the days till Leno's contract expires.
jay leno is such an embarassment. for shame.
switchbladesister
@lickherbeforebeer: Good job Leno, make a guest squirm in his seat while asking him about something that doesn't do anything to service yourself, his work, or your program except to perpetuate the idea that being gay is a punchline.
Reggie Cameron
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Reggie Cameron
@Sweet Panda Love: Hey, none of that, you statist pig.
ObtuseIntolerant
Jay Leno is your brother's virgin friend whose repertoire of insults consists only of "You're gay." Which bothers you not just for the homophobia, but because when you ask your brother why he hangs with that douche, he say "He's really funny."
frobisher
shouldn't he have been on Ryan's Hope?!
NoGrumpys
What a grumper mcpoopy pants. He seemed genuinely pissed off.
canary
What is WRONG with Jay Leno? Is there slurp ramp scandal soon to emerge?
And I just can't help it, I don't care if he hurt "America's Sweetheart," I find that Ryan fellow hot.
Tippi from Toronto
maybe he was pissed because jay leno is being a total fucking homophobe. maybe he was pissed because he wanted to talk about the work he was there to promote. i wish he would have walked out in the end too.
lickherbeforebeer
@Glass_Family: I live in Tennessee. Yes.
Victor Ward
Are a lot of gay dudes named Billy Bob?
Glass_Family
They should call him GAY Leno! HURR!
Transuranic
After that atrocious accent in the otherwise quite good "Gosford Park", I swore I would never do it, but ... damn it, Jay Leno, you kind of made me like Ryan Phillippe.
Omelas
1993 was definitely not way ahead of its time for this "subject." The dialogue in the clip is laughable. Curious, when was the first openly straight teenager depicted on a soap?
ophthalmologist
Jay Leno : Larry King :: smelly old people jelly : Vick's VapoRub
jackvinyl
what is it about him? he's cute enough, but slightly trashy. i dont ever think he can get the stank of failing reese witherspoon off of him, even if her OCD kicked in and tried to scrub it away. he's toast.
kween of everything
I guess Ryan was told he was there to talk about "Stop Loss" which in itself is a far more controversial topic than any "gay look" or nude ad. I plan on seeing that movie, no thanks to Leno.
Superstarsteve
Oh Jay, quit trying to be 'Dave interviewing Paris.'
SteamyMcFirecrotch
Jay just wanted to capture Ryan's gayest look so that he could go home and wear out his wrist to it later that night.
What a douche. Ryan should have walked.
Tits McGee
As Ryan's most famous role is being the guy who blew it with Reese, he should be happy the interview stayed on other stuff!
GeorgeGlass
I think being from Delaware is more embarrassing.
Sweet Panda Love
Jay must be Team Reese.
I remember Ryan on OLTL (I used to watch it during the summer in high school). He was actually pretty good.
heidiho