Jason Stuart

I worked in comedy clubs for over 20 years, as an openly gay comedian.  Five years ago I was booked at Zanies Comedy Club in Chicago; it is what we call an “A” room in the comedy biz. It was November and only a frigid three degrees below zero. It was a disaster.

The club forgot to pick me up at the airport. After a car finally met me, I was taken to the wrong hotel. Two of the three radio appearances were canceled.  My PR at the gay bar was a nightmare. The music was so loud people did not know what the hell I was doing there! It snowed so much and it was so cold, people were not going out anywhere, let alone to a comedy club. I spent the week in my hotel crying and wondering what I was doing with my life.

I needed to change my life’s direction. I decided I wanted to act more, which was really my passion. I also wanted to do more big-ticket gay events, college gigs and theater gigs so I’d be home more to find Mr. Right. Well, I got my passion back for stand-up and have been cast in over 40 film and TV shows in the last few years. I also got to perform comedy at some of the best gay events in the country.

Then I got a got a call from Michael Ferrera who created a group called LifeWorks that mentors gay youth. He wanted me to perform at the group’s comedy benefit. I asked, “What was the venue?” They didn’t have one. “Well, who were the other comics?” He told me they did not have any. This was how I become the Event Chair. I called my home-based comedy club I worked at in Hollywood, The Laugh Factory. I also called all my friends who happen to be the top openly gay comedians in the country. Our first show was a big fat success!

In Los Angeles, it is not easy to do a charity event; especially when you are a gay man. I wanted to do comedy events for all of us–gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people–and our allies. I also invited all my famous actor, singer and reality star friends to show up to pose for some pictures, sign some autographs and hang out. Since we created this meet and greet VIP reception, it has become a staple in our annual benefit.

Comedian Julie Bluehead

In the past five years our cast of comedians has been like a “who’s who?” in gay comedy. Scheduled so far this year are Ant, Jason Dudey, Erin Foley, Julie Goldman, Ian Harvie, Geri Jewell, DJ Pierce, Sandra Valls and of course me, with celebrities including David Chokachi, Judy Greer, Peter Paige and Alexandra Paul, with more names to be added. I am so grateful to them for giving their talent to us free of charge.

This organization gave me a sense of community and a place to give back. LifeWorks mentors kids between the ages of 12 to 24. When I was that age, I was floating in the wind, not knowing how or where I was going to get what I wanted and needed. I did not have a mentor or anyone to show me the way. I wasted a lot of time trying to figure out how to live as an openly gay man. LifeWorks does that for our youth. It gives them a place to go and be with kids their own age to create a sense of belonging, a community.

If I had this kind of support as a youth, I would have saved so much time. I might not have had to go to the suicide prevention center and tell a woman I never met that I wanted to die because I was gay. I would have felt like I had place to go and meet with people like me who were  going through the same things at the same time as I was. I would not have been so alone. I’m still looking for Mr. Right, but I did gain a great new friend…Michael Ferrera.

Laugh Out Loud presented by LifeWorks performs Sun., March 20. Two shows: 5 and 8 pm. Tickets: $30-$75. VIP package $125 includes both shows and a reception at 6:30 pm with food and drinks. Renberg Theatre at The Village, 1125 McCadden Pl., Los Angeles; for tickets call 323.860.7373 or go to http://www.laglc.org/lol.

Jason Stuart is a prolific character actor and, since coming out in 1993, an openly gay stand-up comedian. He transcends the boundaries of race, gender and sexual orientation with comedic material about his experiences as a single Jewish gay man living in Hollywood. He is also in demand by corporate programs with his lecture, Coming Out in Hollywood, about being openly gay in the workplace. Most recently, he appeared in Logo’s new show, One Night Stand-Up.

As an actor he has played gay and straight roles on over 40 television shows such as Entourage, The Closer, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Everybody Hates Chris, House, Will & Grace, George Lopez, Charmed and as “Dr. Thomas,” the gay family therapist on My Wife and Kids. Stuart was featured in the comedy hit A Day Without a Mexican, the HBO award winning drama Gia and the films Kindergarten Cop and Vegas Vacation. Stuart was nominated for a Gay International Film Award for best supporting actor in Coffee Date. He produced and starred in his improvised independent film 10 Attitudes and just completed a remake of Edgar Allan Poe’s horror film The Pit & the Pendulum where he plays the villain “Father Divay.”

He performs at benefits for issues from AIDS to the homeless, is Chairman of the Screen Actors Guild LGBT Committee and chairs the comedy shows for Lifeworks Mentoring Program. His stand-up comedy CD is Jason Stuart: Gay Comedy Without a Dress and his comedy special is Jason Stuart: Making It to the Middle for Here! TV. http://www.jasonstuart.com.