Jerrod Carmichael Comes Out Ahead Of SNL Hosting Debut

Jerrod Carmichael rose to prominence in the Los Angeles stand-up scene before launching his sitcom “The Carmichael Show.” He has three HBO stand-up comedy specials: Love at the Store, 8, and Rothaniel. The stand-up comedian recently revealed that he “feels freer” since publicly coming out.

Jerrod Carmichael has come out as gay in his new HBO comedy special, “Rothaniel,” which premieres on April 1st. The special was shot in February 2022 at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City, across from the Comedy Cellar. In “Rothaniel,” Carmichael tells stories about his family history as well as his own coming-out process.

Carmichael recalls catching his father cheating and relating to having a “secret,” according to Variety.

“After that was out in the open, I was left alone feeling like a liar, because I had a secret, one that I kept from my father, my mother, my family, my friends, and you. Professionally, personally. And the secret is that I’m gay. I’m accepting the love, I really appreciate the love. My ego wants to rebel against it.”

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“I rebelled against it my whole life. I thought I’d never, ever come out. At many points I thought I’d rather die than confront the truth of that, to actually say it to people. Because I know it changes some people’s perceptions of me. I can’t control that.”

The comedian will make his Saturday Night Live hosting debut on April 2. “Rothaniel” isn’t the first time Carmichael has addressed homosexuality: In the 2019 HBO special “Home Video,” Carmichael discussed his sexual experiences with men and recalled telling his mother, “I’ve hooked up with dudes before.”

Carmichael admits in “Rothaniel” that his relationship with his mother has become more strained three years after his coming out. “As much as she believes in God, I believe in personal growth and feeling free,” Carmichael says. “And I do feel freer.” Carmichael previously made his feature directorial debut with “On the Count of Three,” a 2021 Sundance film in which he also stars. The buddy-comedy thriller has yet to set a U.S. release date from United Artists Releasing.

“Rothaniel” will premiere on HBO on April 1 at 9 p.m. ET and will be available to stream on HBO Max. To get the latest updates, keep an eye on Thirsty.

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