Over the course of history we’ve seen our fair share of mononymous celebrities like Cher, Prince and Madonna, to name just a few. And from 1998 to 2006 (plus a brief stint from 2017 to 2020) we had Jack. Just Jack. As in Jack McFarland from NBC’s hit sitcom Will & Grace. He was one of two openly gay principal characters on the show that President Biden once said “probably did more to educate the American public” on LGBT issues “than almost anything anybody has ever done so far.”
Jack was a character that could have easily been a one-note caricature of the flamboyant gay man, which some at the time even criticized the series for. But in the deft hands of Sean Hayes, Jack was much more than a stereotype. The character had a depth and dimension that earned the actor an Emmy for his performance in 2000.
The Sexy ATM
While the show may have been called Will & Grace, its titular characters were often overshadowed by the comedic stylings and impregnable bond between Jack and Karen Walker, Grace’s mildly alcoholic, snarky assistant played by Megan Mullally. One moment in particular that highlights the duo’s chemistry came in the form of a “sexy ATM” during the show’s fourth season.
Jack (and Cher) Meet Cher
A recurring throughline in the series was Jack’s obsession with gay icons — Cher in particular. This obsession culminated with Jack and his rare Cher doll meeting the “If I Could Turn Back Time” singer. The only problem was, he thought it was a mostly flawless drag queen Cher impersonator until it was too late.
Jack With Some Motherly ‘Advice’
According to Jack, “no one knows how to be a good daughter better than a gay son,” which was the start to some interesting advice he shared with Grace in Season Eight after he felt perturbed by the way she interacted with her mother, Bobbi.
‘You Must Be Dying’
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After an anxiety-riddled Grace met Dr. Morty, a doctor with “a bod that could be in a Whitesnake video” who was set to join her husband Leo on a work trip to Guatemala, Jack minced no words through a toothy grin when it came to “soothing” her.
An Existential ‘Daddy’ Crisis
Categorically speaking, Jack was the show’s resident twink. But when the revival seasons explored some of the issues prominent in the gay dating world for men over 30, Jack had an existential crisis when a twenty-something-year-old called him a daddy.
Jack and His Gaydar
In Season One, Will and Grace enlisted Jack’s gaydar to see if their mutual crush was gay. And while Jack figured it out with a simple glance and handshake, he held his cards close to the vest and made the pair work for the information.
Jack’s Rare Discovery
In a bid to defend Karen from what they thought was a Peeping Tom in Season Seven, Jack discovered something much more shocking about the binoculars-wielding man: He was a Hot Gay Nerd.
Jack Says Goodbye to Rosario
Jack, who was in a Green Card marriage to Karen’s revered housecleaner Rosario, said his fondest, heterosexual farewells to the character after Shelley Morrison’s sudden real-life passing in 2019.
‘Mom, I’m Gay’
The show’s cultural DNA allowed it to explore and reflect on very difficult real-world issues not often seen on television with light and levity. Case in point: When Jack finally came out to his mother in Season Two, she played an Uno Reverse card with a secret of her own.
Jack the Father
Another groundbreaking moment in the series and Jack’s character arc came when he unexpectedly learned he was a father after meeting the child that derived from his sperm-bank donation 13 years prior — and the hilariously touching reactions that followed.