Jun 6
Watch: 'I Wanted It to Feel a Little Gay,' Jonathan Groff Says, Showing Off 'Baby's First Chaps'
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.
Jonathan Groff was enjoying himself as he explained his all-leather outfit to Jimmy Fallon. The ensemble consisted of a leather vest, hat, and, best of all, backless leggings Groff called "Baby's first chaps."
The outfit became a conversation piece when Groff guested on "The Tonight Show" to talk about his current Broadway gig, "Just in Time," a jukebox musical featuring the music of Bobby Darin in which Groff plays Darin.
Before getting into the show, Groff and Fallon discussed Groff having gone to see Beyoncé in concert – an experience Groff called "life changing."
"I'm obsessed," Groff exclaimed of how he stans the singer, Entertainment Weekly relayed. "You have to go," Groff encouraged the late-night host. "Let's to together!"
Fallon agreed to that plan, though he might want to think carefully about his wardrobe for the occasion. Groff's concert-wear consisted of the leather couture described above. Pulling out photos of Groff in the getup, Fallon said, "I dunno if I could get away with this."
The audience erupted with screams and applause as Fallon flashed the first picture, which showed Groff in the backless chaps (though with his posterior clad in matching black underwear), glancing over his shoulder and rakishly touching the brim of his leather cowboy hat.
"Explain what's going on," Fallon invited, as he flashed a second photo, this one of Groff in the same wardrobe but seen from the front. "Explain yourself!" Fallon commanded, as the audience's cheers continued.
The Tony-winning Broadway star obliged. "Shout out to Valeria Yamin," he said, "one of the incredible cast members of our show, who did this photo shoot with me on our, on Derek McLane's Tony-nominated set of 'Just in Time.'"
Groff also gave props to The Leather Man, the New York City fetish gear shop on Christopher Street. (Visit their NSFW website here.) The shop, Groff said, "got me baby's first chaps."
Fallon, bewildered, sought clarification: "These are called 'baby's first chaps?'"
"I'm the 'baby," Groff explained patiently, "and those are my first chaps." The audience – and Fallon – melted down with laughter at the need for Groff to spell it all out.
"Listen," Groff went on to say of the outfit, "it was cowboy-themed, but I also wanted it to feel a little gay."
He succeeded: The outfit gives a lot gay.
"Oh my god, it's my new fetish," Groff added when Fallon asked about the experience of wearing the chaps. "I learned so much about myself once I got into those chaps!"
"Really?!" Fallon exclaimed.
"It's the smell of the leather," Groff said – and Fallon, reaching his limit, held up a hand for him to stop while laughing nervously, then changed the subject to "Just in Time," for which Groff has once again been nominated for a Tony.
Watch the exchange below.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
