The actor thought, “This is showbiz in a nutshell.”

Modern Family star Jesse Tyler Ferguson recalls mortifying early-career red carpet moment that ended in apology

The actor thought, "This is showbiz in a nutshell."

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

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April 22, 2026 7:52 p.m. ET

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Jesse Tyler Ferguson in 2009. Credit:

Ryan Miller/Getty

- Jesse Tyler Ferguson remembered a time when no one wanted to speak with him on the red carpet.

- Once, someone yelled 'Pass!" when they were asked if they wanted to interview him at an event.

- The *Modern Family* alum said he laughed it off.

Nowadays, Jesse Tyler Ferguson is a big deal.

But he recalled an embarrassing red carpet moment that happened just before the premiere of *Modern Family* in 2009, in which at least one person did not think that was the case. He said it was when he was part of the cast of the sitcom *Do Not Disturb*, a Fox sitcom costarring Niecy Nash and Jerry O'Connell, which aired for 13 episodes in 2008.

"I was at some event, and, you know, they write your name on a card, and they show it to people on the red carpet, like, the photographers," the actor explained to guest Jeff Hiller on Tuesday's episode of Ferguson's podcast, *Dinner's on Me*. "So they know who you are."

Jesse Tyler Ferguson in 2026.

Valerie Terranova/WireImage

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Ferguson said that the situation had been even more awkward than going unrecognized.

"I take all the photos, you know," Ferguson said. "And you have someone who's handling you, who walks you through the whole thing. It's some young teenage intern."

In an area where cameras for news outlets were set up, Ferguson's handler checked to see if anyone wanted to interview him.

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"Someone looks at the name, and they go, 'Pass!'" Ferguson said, moving his hand like he was cutting his throat. (They really did *not *want to interview him!)

Ferguson wasn't offended.

"I started laughing, and the poor teenage kid, the volunteer who was walking me through the line, was like, 'Oh my god. I am so sorry,'" Ferguson said. "I was like, 'Don't apologize. This is just showbiz in a nutshell for you, kid. One day you're tops, one day you're not.'"

His work on *Modern Family* earned him five Emmy nominations for playing the part of the ABC show's Mitchell Pritchett. Since the series ended in 2020, Ferguson has appeared on TV's *Elsbeth* and in the 2017 movie *Cocaine Bear*.

He's currently portraying author Truman Capote in the Off Broadway show *Tru*. The premise is that Capote is alone in his New York apartment in December 1975, reflecting on the loss of his social circle after he wrote about his friends — and not in a flattering way. The New York show is set to run through May 10.

Watch the full conversation above.

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