When you think one of the most prolific character actors, who’s also an outrageous openly gay stand-up comedian, one name comes to mind…. Jason Stuart. Stuart has been making people laugh out loud with “Gay Don Rickles” performances all over the country since coming out in 1993. He has accomplished what few other gay comics have ever achieved: brutal honesty with humor in a world that’s not always kind. Not only is Stuart an all-out crowd pleaser, but he transcends the boundaries of race, gender and sexual orientation with his edgy comedic style. Stuart’s material about his experiences as a single Jewish gay man living in Hollywood is original, cutting edge and just plain funny.
Stuart’s work transcends from entertainment to real-life as an advocate and mentor. As the current SAG-AFTRA’s LGBT Actors Committee National co-chair, Jason Stuart was just honored with the Jose Julio Sarria International Civil Rights Award, which was presented by the International Imperial Court System and She Persist Award (Elizabeth Warren inspired Award) for his with LGBT Actors.
He is able to perform an outrageous stand up show, a lecture for faculty and students, and a brown bag lunch chat with the LGBTQQIA campus activists at a price you can afford. Jason shares his the intimate details of growing up and being bullied all through his school years, and being plagued with thoughts of suicide as a youth. He opens up his heart with his experience, and the strength and hope of overcoming the brutal treatment he experienced growing up a in public school.
He reveals his life growing up with his over-the-top Jewish family with a father who grew up in the Holocaust with post traumatic stress syndrome, a flamboyant mother with 4 husbands from Brooklyn, an overweight, angry brother who has a daughter who is schizophrenic, and an orthodox Jewish sister who has banished him from her family with 4 children. Jason has never been allowed to meet his nieces and nephews, yet lives five minutes from their home.
Jason uses his talents as an openly gay actor and comedian to support the community by performing at countless benefits for issues ranging from HIV-AIDS, LGBT rights, marriage equality, and the dignity of all regarding gender expression for the last 18 years. He is also a mentor of several LGBT & straight youth and produced the annual comedy benefit for Lifeworks Mentoring Program for gay youth for 6 years.
Jason shatters the misconceptions of Tinsel Town and has the ability to speak from his heart with humor and compassion, and in a transformative fashion builds the resolve of LGBT and questioning all types of people, and wins the souls of prospective allies. He says “I am no different from you. Just more people know me. Let me take you by the hand and support you into a more enlightened life!”
Jason Stuart’s lecture on “The IN’s and OUT’s of Being Openly Gay in the Workplace” is now available. In addition to being an uproarious comic and prolific character actor, the demand for Jason’s signature Q & A has led to a real interest for an extended close up view of his being gay and tackling homophobia. He does this with depth and humor, like no one else.
