Leslie Jones was not one of the comediennes set to perform at the Elle Women in Comedy event. But she couldn't help herself.
At the private Secret-sponsored party celebrating Elle's first comedy issue, comics Iliza Shlesinger, Nikki Glaser, Michelle Buteau and Ali Wong took the stage at restaurant Hyde in Hollywood Tuesday night, as planned. Then, host Jane Lynch made a surprise announcement: One of the night's honorees (the Ghostbusters actresses are Elle's July cover stars) was going to do an impromptu set.
It turns out Jones, an experienced standup and Saturday Night Live star, couldn't just sit and watch the other funny ladies, because she had a lot to say. At the top of her mind? The fact that she's "on the goddamn Elle magazine" as she put it. "I ain't used to that (crap)!" she said, adding that her recent fame has inhibited her love life. "I used to be able to be on those sites, you know Tumblr, Grindr, Tinder. Yeah, I said Grindr, I ain’t passed trickin’ a gay man into (having sex) with me," she joked.
In a fringy black skirt, white top, leather jacket and heels, Jones looked elegant, but determined that her ensemble was not conducive to performing. "I had 22 (bleeping) outfits on today. Jimmy Kimmel had on one (bleeping) suit," she complained. She had shot the Ghosbusters Kimmel episode earlier in the day. "I can't move in this (outfit), trying to be cute. You're going to see some bra straps." She defiantly peeled off her jacket, exposing her black bra. "Let me take these shoes off, too," she said, kicking off her heels. Barefooted, she accidentally stepped on one of the lightbulbs decorating the edge of the stage, but didn't pause to tend to her food and the broken glass. "Size 12," she said shrugging, and continued with her explosive, expletive-laden set that touched on the many things she has issues with, including rescue dogs (she's annoyed with the Humane Society PSA, the smugness of dog owners, etc.), and texting (it turns her into a crazy person).
The unplanned set had the audience of comedic actresses roaring with laughter, and Jones, herself, smiling and sweating-- at one point she even requested a towel to wipe her face. It was a hilarious and energetic show that reminded the audience why she was being honored in the first place.
"Women have been funny for (bleeping) years. Now we have a goddamn event about it," she said. "Where the (explicit) have you all been the last ten years?"
