If a zest for life is infectious, there’s probably no more delightful a carrier than Leslie Jordan. A diminutive stage, film, Emmy Award–winning TV actor, and fugitive from the Bible Belt, Jordan regales us with anecdotes illuminating his inner journey, from abashed homosexual and show-biz neophyte to triumphant Hollywood insider and the self-proclaimed “gayest man I know.” In his autobiographical show My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, he relays, in no particular order — and in an unapologetic Chattanooga drawl — stories that encompass his childhood and adolescence: as a toddler craving a bride doll after attending a wedding; his infatuation with the high school quarterback, foiled (no surprise here) by the cheerleader with the perky breasts; and the trepidation of his first visit to a gay bar. Other stories are plucked from his colorful career as a performer, as when his mad crush on Mark Harmon during a film shoot left him speechless in take after take, or when mischievous George Clooney conspired with a costumer to let out his pants, or when Beverly D’Angelo dispatched him to Victoria’s Secret to buy her some panties. At the core of his tale is the struggle and eventual overcoming of alcohol and drug addiction and his ultimate confrontation with the seminal fears that brought them on. While Jordan’s themes are familiar, his charm, his energy, his impeccable timing and above all his warmth make this a one-of-a-kind show. David Galligan directs. L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, Renberg Theatre, 1125 N. McCadden Pl., Hollywood; Thurs.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; through Dec. 14. (323) 860-7300.

Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Starts: Dec. 4. Continues through Dec. 21, 2008

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