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 theaters bearing his name—opened the interview with questions about Phillippe's first paying job on One Life To Live.
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.