SoCal audiences have known comedian Jason Stuart for a long time. Popping up at gay events, emceeing Prides, performing stand-up at comedy clubs for gay and straight nights, making jokes on red carpets, stealing the spotlight at house parties, and flirting with boys at the bar is just a normal week for Jason. His comedy is just a part of his wildly colorful career. As an actor, he has over 265 film and TV credits to his name, from playing that funny character that always gets the zingers, to serious and even (gasp!) straight parts in films like The Birth of A Nation, to David E. Kelly’s Goliath (starring Billy Bob Thornton). You never know where his signature expressions will pop up next, he is just as home acting for a major studio as he is supporting an LGBTQ web series. His co-star celebrity list reads like Entertainment Weekly’s Who’s Who with names that include George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, J.K. Simmons, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Angela Lansbury, Damon Wayans, Jai Rodriguez, and on and on…always holding his own.

As an openly gay actor, Jason is a trailblazer for the community who, this Pride season, celebrates the 30th anniversary of his coming out publicly on the Geraldo Show declaring to the nation: “I’m gay, deal with it!” Long before even Ellen came out, there was Jason, setting the stage for entertainers to come out publicly, even at the risk of limiting his blossoming career. Recently he has received accolades and rave reviews for Smothered, now in season 2, about a Jewish middle-aged couple trying to salvage their relationship because they can’t afford to get divorced.

On this episode of US of Gay, we chat with Jason about the gay culture when he was growing up, why he came out on national TV, the evolution of LGBTQ in the media, his stand-up comedy, what he’s learned from life, all about his current hit Smothered, finally getting the recognition for his work, and much more! Hosted by Alexander Rodriguez.

Check out our in-depth chat with Jason in the Pride issue of GED Magazine, available on newsstands or at GEDMag.com