In his new HBO special, stand-up comedian Jerrod Carmichael comes out as homosexual.
After disclosing that he once saw his father cheating, Carmichael, 34, makes the onstage disclosure in “Rothaniel,” which premieres Friday night.
“After that was made public, I was left alone, feeling like a liar since I had a secret.” One I’ve kept hidden from my father, mother, family, friends, and you. On a professional and personal level “And the secret is that I’m gay,” he reveals, as reported by Variety.
The former “Carmichael Show” star is greeted with a long pause at first, but the audience eventually begins to applaud his candor.
“I’m grateful for the love.” He answers to the cheers, “I sincerely appreciate the affection.” “It makes my ego want to rebel.”
Carmichael says his choice to come out has affected many of his relationships.
“I believed I’d never, ever come out,” Carmichael says later, noting that he had “rebelled against” his sexuality his “whole existence.” At times, I believed I’d rather die than face the truth, to truly tell people the truth. Because I’m aware that it alters certain people’s impressions of me. “I have no control over that.”
In February, the comedian shot “Rothaniel” at New York City’s legendary Blue Note Jazz Club, waxing poetic about his family history and years-long reluctance to come out, revealing that while some of his relationships have thrived as a result of his honesty, others have suffered.
Carmichael, who is hosting “Saturday Night Live” this weekend, previously spoke of his sexual experiences with men in his 2019 HBO special, “Home Movies,” in which he recounted telling his mother, “I’ve hooked up with dudes before.”
He also spoke of feeling “confident in his sexuality” during a June 2019 interview with The Breakfast Club, where host Charlamagne Tha God joked, “I can’t wait ’til a guy airs you out!”
The North Carolina native admits in “Rothaniel” that while his relationship with his mom took a turn after coming out, he is still optimistic about their future.
“As much as she believes in God, I believe in personal growth and feeling free,” he says. “And I do feel freer.”