Jaboukie Young-White on weird dating habits, playing straight and being Internet famous – The Washington Post

A: [Laughs] That’s hilarious. For this role specifically, getting into it was interesting because with the background I come from — I’m from the Midwest — I feel like the benchmarks and standards for masculinity are so much higher and unattainable than [they are in] New York. When I first came here, I was like, “Oh my God, everyone here is gay. That’s so cool.” You’d be with someone at an event and they’d be like, “Oh, this is my partner.” And you’re like, “Oh my God, they’re gay. That’s awesome. They’re in a same-sex relationship.” And then they’re, like, a cis[gender]-het[erosexual] couple. And I’m like, “Okay, interesting, interesting.” I have to recalibrate my expectations of a straight man.