Tyler the Creator Rejects Jerrod Carmichael

Two years ago comedian Jerrod Carmichael came out as gay [click here if you missed that]. 

In the first episode of Jerrod's new doc-u-series, he confronts his feelings after being romantically rejected by his best friend rapper Tyler the Creator...

From ETonline

"I fell in love with my best friend. 1 out of 10, don't recommend," Carmichael tells the audience. "I knew I had to tell him. Things started getting kind of weird between us. I had these feelings... So I texted him. I remember saying, 'I know you didn't ask for this, but somewhere down the line I developed feelings for you, and I don't know what to do with that.' Then I immediately turned my phone off and went into therapy."

He joked, "My therapist was thrilled. He was so excited! He was like, 'Man, this s**t never happens in real-time.'"

Recounting Tyler's eventual response, Carmichael said, "He sent me a voice note. I was so nervous. It was like six seconds... He said, 'Hahahaha, you stupid b**ch.' And I don't really know what that means."

Although the comedian said he was reluctant to broach the subject again due to the "fear of it being so totally unrequited," he later tried to make things less weird by asking Tyler to be his date for the 2022 Emmys, where his stand-up special Rothaniel was nominated. However, Tyler shut him down, sending him a text which reads, "Dammmm, I shoot all day. Thanks, tho, that is lit."

At the end of the episode, Carmichael and Tyler have an on-camera discussion about their friendship, during which the former confronts Tyler about the persisting awkwardness.

"It's because I told you I had feelings for you, and we didn't talk about it, ever," Carmichael said. "That was, like, weird. I don't know if it was just too awkward to talk about or just too... I don't know. I feel like you left me hanging out there a little bit."

"You laughed and called me a stupid b**ch," Carmichael recalled, to which Tyler admitted he "brushed it off."

"Getting news like that and then avoiding it is a way to avoid change," the rapper added.

Tyler said that Carmichael's confession was "a lot to download," adding, "I still don't know how to respond." He expressed regret about their lack of contact, explaining that although he doesn't return any romantic feelings, he considers the comedian family.

"Are you wanting the same thing from me?" he asked Carmichael. "When you told me that, I'm like, 'Nah, I don't know. Not like that. That's like a brother. That man's like family. Like true family. Like a true brother.'"

Carmichael and Tyler have collaborated several times in the past. The comedian was the narrator of Tyler's 2019 album Igor, an album that explores a narrative about a love triangle and, ironically, an unrequited love. They also linked up for a special conversation for the rapper's 2017 album Flower Boy.