Who is Jerrod Carmichael? What to know about next ‘SNL’ host with North Carolina roots
With a new HBO Max comedy special and his first chance to host “Saturday Night Live,” Jerrod Carmichael is set to have a memorable weekend.
And in that HBO Max special — to be released on 9 p.m. ET Friday, April 1 — the comedian reveals secrets about himself he said he was “birthed into.”
Here’s what to know about the 34-year-old comedian, who will host “SNL” on Saturday, April 2
Where is Jerrod Carmichael from?
Carmichael was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and graduated from Robert B. Glenn High School in Kernersville.
He grew up poor in the Morningside neighborhood of Winston-Salem, which the Winston-Salem Chronicle reported is a frequent topic in his comedy specials.
His career took him to Los Angeles, but he has stuck to his roots and returned to North Carolina for a 2019 HBO special. Carmichael explored “aspects of the Black experience through interviews with his family” in the movie, titled “Home Videos.”
What has Jerrod Carmichael starred in?
You may know Carmichael best from “The Carmichael Show,” the NBC series that aired from 2015 to 2017. Carmichael stars as a fictional version of himself in the show, which takes place in Charlotte.
“For three seasons (okay 2.5), I got to make a show that I love with my friends,” Carmichael said when the show was canceled in 2017, Deadline reported. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since I was 13. Now, I’m excited to go make other things that I love.”
He also appeared in the Seth Rogen and Zac Efron-led movies “Neighbors” and “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising.”
As a stand-up comedian, Carmichael has made regular appearances at the famous Laugh Factory in Los Angeles. His comedy specials include “Love at the Store” and “8.”
His revealing HBO Max special “Rothaniel”
In “Rothaniel,” the new HBO Max comedy special directed by Bo Burnham, Carmichael reveals to the New York City audience that he is gay.
He came out while discussing catching his father cheating on his mother, Variety reported.
“After that was out in the open, I was left alone feeling like a liar, because I had a secret,” he told the audience, Variety reported. “One that I kept from my father, my mother, my family, my friends, and you. Professionally, personally. And the secret is that I’m gay.”
He pulls back the curtain in the special.
“I want to talk about secrets,” he said in “Rothaniel,” The New York Times reported. “I felt like I was birthed into them.”
His “Saturday Night Live” hosting debut
“Saturday Night Live” returns from a 3-week hiatus with Carmichael set to host. He will be joined by musical guest Gunna.
A promo for the episode shows him alongside Gunna and cast member Heidi Gardner. Carmichael promises to bring his A-game.
This story was originally published April 1, 2022 at 3:57 PM.