Modern Family actor tackles LGBT rights with a crusade for fashion

>> you wouldn't happen to have a feather boa , would you?

>> are you wearing that to your party?

>> cam is decorating the party with different pictures --

>> hold that. now smolder. smolder. perfect. perfect. let me guess, you couldn't remember if i said boa or baby so you brought both.

>> gloria hurt herself and it was my fault so i offered to take joe.

>> can i take a break, i want to be alone?

>> where was that attitude when we were doing greta garbo ?

>> it is so fun to watch. is it fun to do?

>> it is, it is.

>> the co-star of "modern family" jesse tyler ferguson who will go from tv to stage at this year's shakespeare in the park .

>> such a blast to have you here. we have so many people that constantly, you know, i've stopped watching movies and all i do is watch tv and i only watch like showtime or hbo and then, except for "modern family." you guys have broken through somehow. did you know that was going to happen?

>> you're the first person to ask me that. no, you're not. we certainly hoped it would. i loved the script when i first read it and i loved the pilot when we shot it. so many things have to come into alignment for a show to hit like this.

>> why did it break through?

>> i think, well, we can all relate to families, except for the few of us who are orphans.

>> dysfunctional.

>> we all can relate to that.

>> feeling different.

>> i also feel like we took the family sitcom and turned it on with the style and it just freshened it up a little bit.

>> but it really did break through in a way that connects.

>> what's it like working with ed o'neil?

>> i love ed o'neil. i love ed o'neil.

>> has a crush on him.

>> i wouldn't think that would be the one, actually.

>> usually i have another person people ask me about. a certain columbian actress. no, ed, listen, he is, it took me a long time to really be comfortable with the fact that al bundy was now my father. yeah.

>> but you say he remind you of your father?

>> he does remind me of my dad in a lot of ways and we have taken some of my dad's characteristics and traits and put it in ed's character.

>> that's neat.

>> let's talk about shakespeare in the park . absolutely fantastic program. why have you decided it get involved this year?

>> the public theater which is doing shakespeare in the park this summer, they, they gave me my big break when i was 21 years old and i did my first show in central park a musical called "on the town." this will be my fourth summer back and my fourth shakespeare play. so, i'm doing --

>> what do you like?

>> that was me and i was 21 years old. baby faced. who is that?

>> no, you look exactly the same.

>> no. no beard. i was a bean pole, too. i just eat and eat and don't gain a thing. now i have to work at it.

>> your organization tie the knot . tell us about it.

>> me and my partner, my fiance we developed this bow tie line and all the proceeds from the bow ties go to marriage equality . we tuned up with the tie bar , which is a fantastic company in chicago and they are our manufacturers and collection and design. our second collection is available today.

>> are you wearing one of them?

>> this is one of them and our first collection sold out in just under a month. get them early.

>> you look dapper.

>> how do you tie it, though?

>> i have a how-to video on youtube. it's more comedy driven --

>> he won't follow.

>> you will entertain yourself -- it's a 90-second video.

>> on youtube.

>> could you make a clip-on.

>> i have clip-ones for babies and kids. and you.

>> i love it. one more question you never get. do you like the stage or do you like doing tv?

>> you know, as an actor, coming to new york when i was 21 years old i just wanted to do theater. that's all i ever wanted to do. musical theater , specifically. tv has been a nice surprise, but theater is my first love.

>> have you done the williams hunt theater?

>> i have not. i would love to.

>> i want to ask one more question. the writing.

>> the writing is amazing.

>> it all starts with great tv shows or great productions in the park. who are some of the writers on "modern family"?

>> steve livapan and christopher lloyd are our two fearless leaders and a team of unbelievable writers, jeffrey richman and elaine coe.

>> very cool.

>> they're really, super talented. ha honestly, i always shine the light back on them. without those scripts, we'd be nothing.

>> you can catch "modern family" on abc's at 8:00 p.m .