Jerrod Carmichael comes out in very raw and personal HBO special

Until last week, we didn’t know who Jerrod Carmichael was. It didn’t take long, maybe even just hours, after his HBO special dropped that people were talking about his very raw and moving coming-out confession during the special. 

We were absolutely captivated by his performance. Although it is funny in places, we’re remiss to call this special an act of stand-up comedy. One thing is for sure though, Jerrod Carmichael certainly has our attention now. 

Gay or not, it’s very difficult to not be completely moved by Carmichael’s story. Haven’t seen Rothaniel on HBO? We suggest you go and watch it immediately before reading any further. 

Who is Jerrod Carmichael?

While we didn’t know who he was, we were clearly living under a rock. Turns out, Jerrod Carmichael is a successful actor, filmmaker, and stand-up comedian. Rothaniel is his third HBO special. 

He also co-wrote, co-created, produced, and starred in the semi-autobiographical sitcom The Carmichael Show, which aired on NBC. He’s been in the comedy game for quite some time. 

Rothaniel

Rothaniel just feels different. It’s not like other stand-up comedy shows. For one, Carmichael is sitting down on that stage. That’s not something that happens a lot during comedy routines. This small act alone really changes the game. When Carmichael greets the audience and says they have a lot to talk about, viewers take him seriously, because how could they not?

Carmichael opens the special and drops the bomb that Jerrod is not his actual name. Although he doesn’t tell us what his name is, he makes it pretty clear that it’s some ghastly combination of multiple relatives’ names. He then goes on to introduce us to the kind of man his father was (a cheating manwhore would be putting it kindly) and sets the stage for the proverbial bomb he is about to drop. 

Camichael says that he wants to talk about secrets (because exposing his family history is clearly not enough for one day) and announces that he is gay. He says that he never thought he would ever come out. That he “would rather die than confront the truth of that.”

His confessions, and the stories he shares about his journey raise many issues. It’s 2022 and gay people in America would still rather “die than have to confront the truth of that” because America is still a largely homophobic society. Sure, the U.S. has marriage equality, and gay people here can have kids (where other countries don’t have those same rights), but the homophobia? Nah, that ain’t gone. 

The homophobia Carmichael experienced from friends, and his family is the very reason why these stories need to be told. His friends took issue with the fact that Carmichael came out so late in life, that Carmichael dated a white man. Coming out is hard enough. It is time for straight people to stop making these stories about them, and just listen to those they come from. 

Carmichael’s story raises many issues about what it means to be a gay, black man in the United States of America in 2022. Even though it’s shrouded in comedy, the picture that Carmichael paints is a pretty darn grim one. 

Even in America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, society has a long way to go when it comes to anything that isn’t of the straight, white hegemony. 

Carmichael’s special is incredibly important. Important for everyone. Gay people will definitely find themselves in his story, but more importantly, straight people need to hear this too. Carmichael wears his heart on his sleeve as he shares his journey with the world. No one should have to endure the experiences Carmichael was forced to endure because of who he loves. 

Excuse us while we go and watch absolutely everything Jerrod Carmichael has ever done to show our support for this man!

---

Rothaniel is available to stream on HBO Max right now. Oh, and P.S – we do learn what his actual name is, all in good time. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!