In a 2006 episode of " Will & Grace ," a woman in a red dress and polka-dot headscarf hijacked Jack's talk show and delivered some of the funniest lines on the show -- no, She is not Karen Walker.
Britney Spears guest-starred in the Season 8 episode "Buy Baby," and in only about five minutes of screen time, she quickly became one of the sitcom's funniest characters.
The Grammy nominee plays Amber-Louise, the co-host of Jack Talk who slowly takes over Jack's show after the OutTV network is acquired by right-wing conservatives who like her Republican patriotic talking points (e.g. , "If you question our show's president, then you're a dirty traitor"). Jack is naturally furious that his gay talk show has turned into right-wing fodder, but Amber Louis encourages him to compromise. After all, She's also hiding a big part of herself: her real name is Peg, and she's a "hardcore lesbian."
“I love leather games, black girls, skunks, blinds, and poodle balls,” she says in a thick Southern accent. "Whatever you got, I'm gonna eat it, snort it, or ride it, baby."
Keeping her secret will pay huge dividends. "Look at me, I make $165 a week. I moved out of my storage room. I'm on TV!" she said. "I'm that damn dream!"
To be fair, Spears was a total dream in this episode. Her comedic timing is impeccable, she embodies a character so different from herself with ease and her lines sound like they're happening every day.
Spears' most famous acting role was understandably in the 2002 coming-of-age film Crossings , but it's a shame fans forgot about her appearance in Will & Grace . Towards the end of the episode, Jack is crushed when he refuses to make his talk show less gay. “No one should be forced to drink Salma Hayek’s wine,” he said on air before storming off. Amber Louis didn't hesitate to reach for the Salma Hayek mug. "I'll take her," she said.
According to Today.com, the episode was almost more controversial. Spears' character was supposed to host an Easter cooking session called "Cruci-fixin's." The American Family Association immediately criticized the incident, saying it "mockered the crucifixion of Christ" and would "further denigrate Christianity." NBC later issued a statement saying the storyline was never included. "There will be no mention of 'Crucifixion' in the show, nor will the storyline contain Christian features," the network said.
Potential controversy aside, Spears joins a list of Will & Grace guest stars worthy of its own Hall of Fame, including Madonna, Cher, Elton John, Glenn Close, Matt Damon , Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Sharon Stone, Kevin Bacon, Ellen DeGeneres, Demi Moore and Demi Lovato.
However, even among the many stars, Spears' cameo stands out. Hope she can return to showbiz in the future.
