'Will & Grace' Star Leslie Jordan Dead at 67

'Will & Grace' Star Leslie Jordan Dead at 67
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'Will & Grace' Star Leslie Jordan Dead at 67

'Will & Grace' Star Leslie Jordan Dead at 67

Leslie Jordan, an award-winning American actor and writer best known for his role in the sitcom "Will & Grace," died Monday at age 67, one of his agents said.

Jordan was involved in a single-car road accident as he drove in Hollywood, Don LeClair said, without specifying the exact cause of death. News reports said he may have suffered a medical emergency at the wheel.

"The world is definitely a much darker place today without the love and light of Leslie Jordan," LeClair said in a statement sent to AFP.

Jordan enjoyed a successful and career over the course of three decades as he appeared in TV shows that included "American Horror Story," "Murphy Brown" and "Ugly Betty."

In "Will & Grace" he played the pugnacious Beverley Leslie, a frenemy of the character Karen Walker, and in 2006 he won an Emmy Award for outstanding guest actor in the comedy series. 

Jordan was a versatile artist with movie credits including "The Help," and a Gospel record released last year.

In 2020 Jordan became wildly popular on Instagram by posting videos of how he tried to entertain himself during the coronavirus pandemic, such as doing silly exercises or impressions of famous singers. His follower count shot up from 100,000 to 5.8 million.



Brazilian Judge Orders Adele Song Removed over Plagiarism Claim

British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
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Brazilian Judge Orders Adele Song Removed over Plagiarism Claim

British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)

A judge in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the global removal of a 2015 song by British singer Adele due to a plagiarism claim by a Brazilian musician, which Universal Music is fighting on appeal. The ruling, made public on Monday, came in a case filed this year by Toninho Geraes, whose compositions were made famous by some of Brazil's most acclaimed samba singers.

Geraes accused Adele of copying his song "Mulheres", a national hit since the 1990s. His lawyers uploaded to YouTube a comparison of that song and Adele's "Million Years Ago".

"The ruling shows that the Brazilian justice system is strong and that injuries to Brazilian artists won't be ignored," said Fredimio Biasotto Trotta, a lawyer for Geraes.

The decision orders Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music to immediately cease "using, reproducing, editing, distributing, or commercializing" the song by any means on streaming or sharing platforms, without Geraes' consent. It set a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,080.94) if the companies fail to comply with the order.

The Berne Convention, an international treaty, orders other signatory countries, including the US, to comply with legal decisions regarding copyright, Trotta said.

Geraes' lawyers are now notifying streaming services, such as Spotify and Deezer, to withdraw the song in Brazil and globally. On Wednesday morning, the song was still widely available.

Universal appealed the decision on Tuesday, arguing there was no plagiarism, only an "accidental melodic similarity" due to the use of "musical clichés."

Both Adele and Geraes have contracts with Universal, but the Brazilian musician has been trying to terminate his contract with the company due to his plagiarism claim, his lawyer said.

"I felt very disrespected," Geraes told Reuters. He is asking the courts for compensation of more than $150,000. Lawyers representing Universal Music declined to comment, and Sony Music did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Geraes learned of the similarities between the two songs after a friend, who is also a composer, heard Adele's "Million Years Ago" at a party in 2021.