Interview · moment 6 of 16
Where Are the Gay Rappers? Coming Out On Stage
from Andrew Schulz · #138
Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.
6 minGuest
Schultz discusses the lack of openly gay figures in hip hop and sports, then goes deep on his own experience having to 'come out' anew in every headlining set, how the timing/placement of that reveal changes crowd reaction, and actors who come out late getting stuck playing 'weirdos.'
- 27:24Tim asks where the gay rappers are and notes he gets messages from gay people who don't want to come out because they disagree with what gay media figures say.
- 27:55Andrew describes Tim as representing a generation of gay person who doesn't crusade but simply exists—just a dude who happens to be gay.
- 28:27The difficulty of being a gay comic: having to come out every time you're on stage during a full set.
- 29:10Andrew avoids mentioning his sexuality early to see what he can get away with without the advantage of 'chips for being gay' that New York and LA offer.
- 29:47Tim notes the audience reaction when actors come out as gay after becoming famous—people feel lied to and uncomfortable.
- 30:10Gay actors who come out late end up having to play weird characters; Neil Patrick Harris can only play gremlins now.
- 30:43Andrew's approach: come out on his own terms, sometimes five minutes in, sometimes at the end, just a casual mention to move the conversation forward.
- 31:29Tim suggests Andrew experiment with different approaches, like having the host introduce him as gay so he can acknowledge it and immediately move on.
- 32:14Tim argues Andrew's identity gives him leeway for his perspective because he's challenging conventional wisdom—his life is a daily challenge of it.
- 33:01Andrew explains hip hop is wildly homophobic and that's a major barrier to gay rappers coming out, unlike sports where the locker room dynamic creates additional pressure.
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