A Chorus Lie
Encyclopedia
"A Chorus Lie" is the sixteenth episode of the American television series Will & Grace
s fourth season. It was written by Tracy Poust
and Jon Kinnally
and directed by series producer James Burrows
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) in the United States on February 7, 2002. Guest stars in "A Chorus Lie" include Matt Damon
, Leslie Jordan
, and Patrick Kerr
.
In the episode, Jack
(Sean Hayes
) begins a rivalry with a fellow named Owen (Matt Damon). They are competing to be the final entrant in a gay men's chorus, and after learning that Owen is straight, Jack tries to "in
" him with help from Grace
(Debra Messing
). Meanwhile, Karen (Megan Mullally
) tries to pass off Will
(Eric McCormack
) as her lover and not her lawyer when she discovers that she is the object of pity for being single at her own Valentine's Day party.
The episode received positive reviews from television critics. According to Nielsen ratings
, "A Chorus Lie" was watched by 25.3 million households during its original broadcast, making it the most-watched episode in the history of the show. The episode garnered three Emmy Award
nominations, and won one in the "Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series" category.
(Sean Hayes
) receives a call back and is informed that he has become a finalist for the Manhattan Gay Men's Chorus. At the final auditions for the chorus, Jack is informed by the choral director that he will have a solo, but before he can sing it, Owen (Matt Damon
)—originally intended for the solo part—barges in and sings his part. Jack sees Owen as competition and thinks of a way to get rid of him. He learns that Owen is posing as a gay man, after observing him gaze at a woman. Jack strikes a plan to get Owen to confess he is straight, in which he invites him to "rehearse" in Will and Grace's apartment. Jack's plan fails miserably, so he enlists the help of Grace
(Debra Messing
) to "in
" Owen for him. Grace begins flirting with Owen, which ultimately leads to the two making out, prompting Jack to barge in and take a picture. Owen, however, tricks him into pulling the film out of the camera, destroying the proof. At the chorus rehearsal, Jack and Owen begin bickering, which results in Jack revealing to everyone that Owen is straight, to which Owen admits. Despite the revelation, the chorus director (Patrick Kerr
) tells Owen he has made it into the chorus.
Meanwhile, Will
(Eric McCormack
) accepts Karen's (Megan Mullally
) invitation as her date, due to her husband being in prison, to her annual Valentine's Day
party. It is there that Karen passes off Will as her "gigolo
," after her rival Beverley Leslie (Leslie Jordan
) teases her for being alone. Word gets around that Will is "working
" for Karen for the weekend, which prompts many women asking for Will's "services". Much to his dismay, Will believes he, a lawyer, is accepting legal clients. Karen finally reveals to Will that she has been telling everyone he is her gigolo. Will becomes outraged at the revelation and leaves. At the party, Beverley makes fun of Karen because she has no partner for the annual spotlight dance. Will, however, returns and dances with Karen.
and Jon Kinnally
and directed by series producer James Burrows
. In January 2002, it was confirmed that actor Matt Damon
would guest star on Will & Grace. In the same month, it was announced that NBC
would extend "A Chorus Lie" with four additional minutes to accommodate the network's "supersize" plan to compete against the CBS
reality show Survivor
. Jeff Zucker
, who at the time was President of NBC Entertainment, said that the show's producers approached NBC about the "supersizing" idea rather than the other way around; "When scripts came in long, [the producers] asked NBC if the network could handle a few extra minutes of footage." Zucker commented that the lengthening of this episode "turned out great, and there was no real extra work for anyone. It's a great development that [the producers] know that [NBC is] open to things like this."
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle
, Damon revealed that he was asked to appear on the show by Sean Hayes
, a friend of Damon's and the actor that plays Jack on Will & Grace. Damon enjoyed the idea for the episode and agreed to appear on the show. He commented that it was easy for him to get into character because he had previously played a gay character in the film The Talented Mr. Ripley
(1999). Following his appearance, Damon told the Chicago Sun-Times
in June 2002 that he would like to come back and guest star.
, this scene "prompted a ripple effect" in the United States of people seeking out the jeans label. At the chorus rehearsal, Jack and Owen are singing with the chorus when they begin bickering. Jack sings "Lyin' and a-cheatin'!" to Owen and Owen sings "tubby and a-tone-deaf" to Jack, a reference to Hal David
and Burt Bacharach
's 1963 song "Wishin' and Hopin'
".
. The episode received a 15.5 rating/23 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. The episode outperformed the 15.2 rating/22 share of CBS
' crime drama series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
in the 18-49 category. The episode was nominated for three Emmy Awards, Tony Askins won an Emmy for Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series, while Peter Chakos was nominated for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Series, and James Burrows was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.
The episode received generally positive reception. According to Darrell Giles of The Courier Mail, several American critics characterized it as the best episode of the show. Jason Steele of the Chicago Tribune
' s RedEye
named it one of his three favorite episodes of Will & Grace. Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk
wrote that the episode was hilarious. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly
noted, "Damon's spunky appearance ... as a straight guy posing as homosexual and competing with Jack (Sean Hayes) for a spot in a gay men's choir. The show is endlessly imaginative in the ways it explores themes like this with a humor that doesn't betray or belittle its core gay characters." Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret News was less positive about the episode, stating that it "plays like bad camp. There's nothing realistic about it—[the characters] seem more like the inhabitants of a lame Saturday Night Live
sketch than marginally real characters." He also noted that "the extent of the tastelessness of the sex talk and Karen faking a sexual encounter is amazing."
Critics praised Damon's performance in the episode. A television reviewer from The Sacramento Bee
noted that Damon "did a well-publicized (and very good) gig" on the show. Robert Bianco of USA Today
commented that Damon was "incredibly charming" and funny. Matt Roush of TV Guide
, in review of season four, said: "If it weren't for some inspired guest stars — Matt Damon as a straight guy bluffing his way into a gay chorus, Michael Douglas
as a gay detective clowning it up on the dance floor, Glenn Close
as a lusty photographer groping both Will and Grace during a shoot — this season would be an awfully sad misfire." Wales on Sunday' s Wil Marlow called Damon's performance one of the most memorable guest appearances in the history of the show, and commented that he "held his own well against serial scene-stealer Sean Hayes." Mark Perigard of the Boston Herald
said the episode "flies with jokes predicated on stereotypes and sexual innuendo", but "Damon is a good sport with all the silliness, though, and seems more at ease here in the sitcom than he has in his last three films." Eric McCormack, who portrays Will, said Damon was "magnificent" in the episode and a "great experience" for the cast of the show. Sean Hayes cites "A Chorus Lie" as one of his favorite episodes. In March 2006, Entertainment Weekly named Damon's guest spot as their number two most memorable guest appearance on Will & Grace.
Will & Grace
Will & Grace was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 21, 1998 to May 18, 2006 for a total of eight seasons. Will & Grace remains the most successful television series with gay principal characters...
s fourth season. It was written by Tracy Poust
Tracy Poust
Tracy Poust is a producer and writer for the American television situation comedy Will & Grace . She is currently writing and producing for the hit ABC show, Ugly Betty.- External links :* at the BBC...
and Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally is an American television writer and producer, most notable for his work on the TV show Will & Grace.A graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, Kinnally also appeared as Mitchell in the Will & Grace episode "One Gay at a Time"...
and directed by series producer James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
. The episode originally aired on the National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
(NBC) in the United States on February 7, 2002. Guest stars in "A Chorus Lie" include Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
, Leslie Jordan
Leslie Jordan
Leslie Allen Jordan is an American actor and playwright.- Early life and career :Hailing from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and at a height of 4 ft 11 in , Jordan has made numerous appearances in both film and television...
, and Patrick Kerr
Patrick Kerr
Patrick Kerr is an American television actor. He is probably best known for his recurring role as Noel Shempsky on Frasier...
.
In the episode, Jack
Jack McFarland
John Philip "Jack" McFarland was a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes.-Character personality:...
(Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
) begins a rivalry with a fellow named Owen (Matt Damon). They are competing to be the final entrant in a gay men's chorus, and after learning that Owen is straight, Jack tries to "in
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
" him with help from Grace
Grace Adler
Grace Elizabeth Adler-Markus is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Debra Messing. She is a Jewish interior designer , living in New York City with her gay best friend Will Truman...
(Debra Messing
Debra Messing
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress, voice artist, and comedienne. She is perhaps best known for her role as Grace Adler in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace and as Molly Kagan in the mini-series The Starter Wife....
). Meanwhile, Karen (Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
) tries to pass off Will
Will Truman
William Pierce "Will" Truman is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Eric McCormack. He is a gay lawyer who lives in the Upper West Side of New York City with his best friend, Grace Adler.-Fictional character history:...
(Eric McCormack
Eric McCormack
Eric James McCormack is a Canadian American actor, musician, writer and producer. Born in Toronto, he began his acting career performing in school plays at Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute High School...
) as her lover and not her lawyer when she discovers that she is the object of pity for being single at her own Valentine's Day party.
The episode received positive reviews from television critics. According to Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, "A Chorus Lie" was watched by 25.3 million households during its original broadcast, making it the most-watched episode in the history of the show. The episode garnered three Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nominations, and won one in the "Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series" category.
Plot
Following his audition, JackJack McFarland
John Philip "Jack" McFarland was a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace, played by Sean Hayes.-Character personality:...
(Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
) receives a call back and is informed that he has become a finalist for the Manhattan Gay Men's Chorus. At the final auditions for the chorus, Jack is informed by the choral director that he will have a solo, but before he can sing it, Owen (Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
)—originally intended for the solo part—barges in and sings his part. Jack sees Owen as competition and thinks of a way to get rid of him. He learns that Owen is posing as a gay man, after observing him gaze at a woman. Jack strikes a plan to get Owen to confess he is straight, in which he invites him to "rehearse" in Will and Grace's apartment. Jack's plan fails miserably, so he enlists the help of Grace
Grace Adler
Grace Elizabeth Adler-Markus is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Debra Messing. She is a Jewish interior designer , living in New York City with her gay best friend Will Truman...
(Debra Messing
Debra Messing
Debra Lynn Messing is an American actress, voice artist, and comedienne. She is perhaps best known for her role as Grace Adler in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace and as Molly Kagan in the mini-series The Starter Wife....
) to "in
Closeted
Closeted and in the closet are metaphors used to describe lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning and intersex people who have not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity and aspects thereof, including sexual identity and sexual behavior.-Background:In late 20th...
" Owen for him. Grace begins flirting with Owen, which ultimately leads to the two making out, prompting Jack to barge in and take a picture. Owen, however, tricks him into pulling the film out of the camera, destroying the proof. At the chorus rehearsal, Jack and Owen begin bickering, which results in Jack revealing to everyone that Owen is straight, to which Owen admits. Despite the revelation, the chorus director (Patrick Kerr
Patrick Kerr
Patrick Kerr is an American television actor. He is probably best known for his recurring role as Noel Shempsky on Frasier...
) tells Owen he has made it into the chorus.
Meanwhile, Will
Will Truman
William Pierce "Will" Truman is a fictional character on the American sitcom Will & Grace, portrayed by Eric McCormack. He is a gay lawyer who lives in the Upper West Side of New York City with his best friend, Grace Adler.-Fictional character history:...
(Eric McCormack
Eric McCormack
Eric James McCormack is a Canadian American actor, musician, writer and producer. Born in Toronto, he began his acting career performing in school plays at Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute High School...
) accepts Karen's (Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally is an American actress and singer.After working in the theatre in Chicago, Mullally moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and began to appear in supporting roles in film and television productions. She made her Broadway debut in Grease in 1994 and she has since appeared in several Broadway...
) invitation as her date, due to her husband being in prison, to her annual Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
party. It is there that Karen passes off Will as her "gigolo
Male prostitution
Male prostitution is the practice of engaging in sexual acts for money. Compared to female sex workers, male sex workers have been far less studied by researchers, and while studies suggest that there are differences between the ways these two groups look at their work, more research is needed.Male...
," after her rival Beverley Leslie (Leslie Jordan
Leslie Jordan
Leslie Allen Jordan is an American actor and playwright.- Early life and career :Hailing from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and at a height of 4 ft 11 in , Jordan has made numerous appearances in both film and television...
) teases her for being alone. Word gets around that Will is "working
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
" for Karen for the weekend, which prompts many women asking for Will's "services". Much to his dismay, Will believes he, a lawyer, is accepting legal clients. Karen finally reveals to Will that she has been telling everyone he is her gigolo. Will becomes outraged at the revelation and leaves. At the party, Beverley makes fun of Karen because she has no partner for the annual spotlight dance. Will, however, returns and dances with Karen.
Production
"A Chorus Lie" was written by Tracy PoustTracy Poust
Tracy Poust is a producer and writer for the American television situation comedy Will & Grace . She is currently writing and producing for the hit ABC show, Ugly Betty.- External links :* at the BBC...
and Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally
Jon Kinnally is an American television writer and producer, most notable for his work on the TV show Will & Grace.A graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, Kinnally also appeared as Mitchell in the Will & Grace episode "One Gay at a Time"...
and directed by series producer James Burrows
James Burrows
James Edward Burrows is an American television director who has been working in television since the 1970s.-Biography:...
. In January 2002, it was confirmed that actor Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
would guest star on Will & Grace. In the same month, it was announced that NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
would extend "A Chorus Lie" with four additional minutes to accommodate the network's "supersize" plan to compete against the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
reality show Survivor
Survivor (TV series)
Survivor is a reality television game show format produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness and compete for cash and other prizes. The show uses a system of progressive elimination, allowing the contestants to vote off other tribe...
. Jeff Zucker
Jeff Zucker
Jeffrey "Jeff" Zucker is an American television executive and former President and CEO of NBCUniversal.-Personal life:Zucker was born to Jewish-American parents in Homestead, Florida, near Miami. His father was a cardiologist, and his mother, Arlene, was a school teacher...
, who at the time was President of NBC Entertainment, said that the show's producers approached NBC about the "supersizing" idea rather than the other way around; "When scripts came in long, [the producers] asked NBC if the network could handle a few extra minutes of footage." Zucker commented that the lengthening of this episode "turned out great, and there was no real extra work for anyone. It's a great development that [the producers] know that [NBC is] open to things like this."
In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
, Damon revealed that he was asked to appear on the show by Sean Hayes
Sean Hayes (actor)
Sean Patrick Hayes is an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace, for which he won an Emmy Award, four SAG Awards, one American Comedy Award, and six Golden Globes nominations.He also portrayed comedian Jerry Lewis in the...
, a friend of Damon's and the actor that plays Jack on Will & Grace. Damon enjoyed the idea for the episode and agreed to appear on the show. He commented that it was easy for him to get into character because he had previously played a gay character in the film The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Talented Mr. Ripley (film)
The Talented Mr. Ripley is a 1999 American psychological thriller written for the screen and directed by Anthony Minghella. It is an adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith 1955 novel of the same name, which was previously filmed as Plein Soleil .The film stars Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, Gwyneth...
(1999). Following his appearance, Damon told the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
in June 2002 that he would like to come back and guest star.
Cultural references
When Grace and Owen make out on the couch, Grace is wearing a pair of Seven jeans. According to Betsy Taylor of the St. Louis Post-DispatchSt. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
, this scene "prompted a ripple effect" in the United States of people seeking out the jeans label. At the chorus rehearsal, Jack and Owen are singing with the chorus when they begin bickering. Jack sings "Lyin' and a-cheatin'!" to Owen and Owen sings "tubby and a-tone-deaf" to Jack, a reference to Hal David
Hal David
Harold Lane "Hal" David is an American lyricist. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. David is best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach.-Career:...
and Burt Bacharach
Burt Bacharach
Burt F. Bacharach is an American pianist, composer and music producer. He is known for his popular hit songs and compositions from the mid-1950s through the 1980s, with lyrics written by Hal David. Many of their hits were produced specifically for, and performed by, Dionne Warwick...
's 1963 song "Wishin' and Hopin'
Wishin' and Hopin'
"Wishin' and Hopin" is a song written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach which was a Top Ten hit for Dusty Springfield in 1964.The song was first recorded by Dionne Warwick and was the B-side of Warwick's single "This Empty Place" in the spring of 1963; the track was also featured on Warwick's debut...
".
Reception
"A Chorus Lie" brought in 25.3 million viewers, which drew the highest amount of viewers in the show's history, according to Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
. The episode received a 15.5 rating/23 share among viewers in the 18–49 demographic. The episode outperformed the 15.2 rating/22 share of CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
' crime drama series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
in the 18-49 category. The episode was nominated for three Emmy Awards, Tony Askins won an Emmy for Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series, while Peter Chakos was nominated for Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Series, and James Burrows was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.
The episode received generally positive reception. According to Darrell Giles of The Courier Mail, several American critics characterized it as the best episode of the show. Jason Steele of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
RedEye
The RedEye is a daily publication put out by the Chicago Tribune geared toward 18 to 34-year-olds. RedEye was created due in part to the loss of readership among young people of the Chicago Tribune and other major newspapers...
named it one of his three favorite episodes of Will & Grace. Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...
wrote that the episode was hilarious. Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
noted, "Damon's spunky appearance ... as a straight guy posing as homosexual and competing with Jack (Sean Hayes) for a spot in a gay men's choir. The show is endlessly imaginative in the ways it explores themes like this with a humor that doesn't betray or belittle its core gay characters." Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret News was less positive about the episode, stating that it "plays like bad camp. There's nothing realistic about it—[the characters] seem more like the inhabitants of a lame Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
sketch than marginally real characters." He also noted that "the extent of the tastelessness of the sex talk and Karen faking a sexual encounter is amazing."
The Sacramento Bee
The Sacramento Bee is a daily newspaper published in Sacramento, California, in the United States. Since its creation in 1857, the Bee has become Sacramento's largest newspaper, the fifth largest newspaper in California, and the 25th largest paper in the U.S...
noted that Damon "did a well-publicized (and very good) gig" on the show. Robert Bianco of USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
commented that Damon was "incredibly charming" and funny. Matt Roush of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, in review of season four, said: "If it weren't for some inspired guest stars — Matt Damon as a straight guy bluffing his way into a gay chorus, Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
as a gay detective clowning it up on the dance floor, Glenn Close
Glenn Close
Glenn Close is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and...
as a lusty photographer groping both Will and Grace during a shoot — this season would be an awfully sad misfire." Wales on Sunday
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
said the episode "flies with jokes predicated on stereotypes and sexual innuendo", but "Damon is a good sport with all the silliness, though, and seems more at ease here in the sitcom than he has in his last three films." Eric McCormack, who portrays Will, said Damon was "magnificent" in the episode and a "great experience" for the cast of the show. Sean Hayes cites "A Chorus Lie" as one of his favorite episodes. In March 2006, Entertainment Weekly named Damon's guest spot as their number two most memorable guest appearance on Will & Grace.
External links
- "A Chorus Lie" at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- "A Chorus Lie" at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...