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Comic Jay London Calling

If you were sorry to see Last Comic Standing finalist Jay London get the hook in the reality contest's most recent episode, you weren't alone. Despite his off-putting appearance — he'd be the first to admit his style could've been swiped from a Neanderthal — London's warm demeanor and quirky delivery made him a real contender. Heck, head-to-head competitor Gary Gulman even got all misty-eyed over his ouster! So while the shaggy, self-deprecating funnyman looks for a way back into the spotlight — and before another of his housemates is banished in tonight's episode (airing at 9 pm/ET on NBC) — TV Guide Online sought him out to give him a great, big hug. Um... we mean, to conduct a serious and completely unbiased interview. TV Guide Online: I've gotta tell you, in all sincerity, I think your act is really unique and funny. I hope being eliminated didn't discourage you.Jay London: I am not discouraged. The more torture I go th

Ben Katner

If you were sorry to see Last Comic Standing finalist Jay London get the hook in the reality contest's most recent episode, you weren't alone. Despite his off-putting appearance — he'd be the first to admit his style could've been swiped from a Neanderthal — London's warm demeanor and quirky delivery made him a real contender. Heck, head-to-head competitor Gary Gulman even got all misty-eyed over his ouster! So while the shaggy, self-deprecating funnyman looks for a way back into the spotlight — and before another of his housemates is banished in tonight's episode (airing at 9 pm/ET on NBC) — TV Guide Online sought him out to give him a great, big hug. Um... we mean, to conduct a serious and completely unbiased interview.

TV Guide Online: I've gotta tell you, in all sincerity, I think your act is really unique and funny. I hope being eliminated didn't discourage you.
Jay London
: I am not discouraged. The more torture I go through, it makes me a better person. I could start a new [design for] Fruit of the Loom... No, Fruit of the Gloom. I could put sour grapes on the activewear, but I don't have any sour grapes. It's kinda like boxing. I lost the decision, and that's the way it is sometimes. So when does the interview start?

TVGO: Oh, it already did. I like to do it sneakily like that, so you don't see the needle coming.
London:
Oh, good. I don't mind the anesthesia, but I don't want to see the needle coming.

TVGO: Gary seemed crushed that he beat you. Did you have to console him afterwards?
London:
No, I went on my hurried way [after being axed]. I did make a remark that GQ beat out IQ. That's how I felt at the time, but the better man won. At the time, I had a little angst.

TVGO: How do people react to you on the street now that they know you're not as scary as you may appear to be?
London:
It's surreal. I get [stopped by everyone] from a 10-year-old kid who goes to school and tells his classmates "Thank you" [in my patented style] to an elderly lady from Iowa stating that I'm the second coming of Jack Benny. So I hit all different kinds of demographics. I never worked hard at the persona of being me, so it's kind of baffling but a great feeling. The acknowledgement has killed about 10 demons. Could be more, but we'll go with 10.

TVGO: Careerwise, have you gotten any interesting offers yet? I would've loved to have seen the sitcom that would've resulted from the development-deal prize.
London:
It's a joke that I always wanted to do a one-man show, but I was afraid someone else would show up. For me to be scrutinized, as far as a development deal and all that, it would be a great thing. I'm sure with the minds in the TV industry, they can always build something around anybody. Of course, if they had to build it around me, they would have to use reinforced [walls]. It'd be a bigger job.

TVGO: You put yourself down in your act a lot. Please tell me that off stage, someone is showing you the love.
London:
Yeah, you know, the lady of my life walked out. Not walked out. We had a [one-year] agreement. It was bicoastal. She's in New York, I'm here [in L.A.]. Sure enough, a year and change after [we got together], she went her own way. I was kind of devastated because we were together for so long. Now, I'm slowly recovering. I don't have a mate, but I have a few "mates." None of the lascivious and guttural types, but just real emotional pen pals and old-soul types.

TVGO: As long as you're not lacking for affection.
London:
I'm always lacking for affection! Who isn't? I should be in the clergy right now or a monk somewhere. But whatever. I'm a happy individual.

TVGO: Given that your look is such a big part of your persona, if the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy gang wanted to do a makeover on you, would you let them?
London:
That's a very, very good question, because I usually makeunder. Actually, I just went for a mini-makeover not too long ago. I got my hair cut and taken care of. But to be taxidermy'd like that for public viewing would be quite an emotional thing for me. It could be done, but I don't know. If a movie part came my way and I had to oblige, I would. It's not a big deal.