Jerrod Carmichael comes out as gay in HBO special Rothaniel released one day before comic’s SNL hosting debut

, Jerrod told the audience that once his father’s infidelity was “out in the open,” he no longer wanted to keep his own secret.

He said: “I was left alone feeling like a liar because I had a secret — one that I kept from my mother and my father, my family, my friends and you, all of you… and the secret is that I’m gay.”

The crowd reportedly erupted in applause after a brief silence, with one crowd member shouting out their love for Jerrod.

He replied that he would be "accepting the love."

Continuing on, Jerrod shared with the audience: “My ego wants to rebel against it.

“I rebelled against it my whole life. I never thought I’d come out. 

“I didn’t think I’d ever, ever come out. 

“At many points I thought I’d rather die than confront the truth of that, to actually say it to people.” 

He added: “Because I know it changes some people’s perceptions of me. 

“I can’t control that. I’m from an environment where you’re kind of raised to be a man, whatever that means.”

Jerrod, 34, previously released two HBO stand-up specials, with his third now releasing Friday.

The first came in 2014, named Love at the Store.

Directed by Spike Lee, the show was recorded at The Comedy Store - the first place Jerrod ever performed.

His second, 8, dropped on March 11, 2017.

The comedian is set to make his SNL hosting debut on April 2, joined by musical guest Gunna.

WORKING HARD

Along with his stand-up work, Jerrod is known for co-creating, co-writing, and starring in the semi-biographical series, The Carmichael Show.

Premiering on August 26, 2015, the NBC sitcom followed a fictionalized version of Jerrod and his family.

The show focused on growing up in America as a Black man, touching on themes such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ issues, and gun rights.

After graduating from Robert B Glenn High School in 2005, the entertainer moved to Los Angeles to pursue stand-up comedy.

His first show was at an open-mic night at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood.

Jerrod made his on-screen debut in 2013 with The Goodwin Games, a short-lived Fox sitcom.

The following year, he appeared in the hit Seth Rogen comedy Neighbors.