Ugly Betty's Mapa Live at Joe's Pub in June Tells All

He's here, he's there, he's everywhere! I talking about Alec Mapa, who is bringing his solo show, America's Gaysian Sweetheart, described as "an uncensored, unbridled evening of hilarity to Joe's Pub on Gay Pride Weekend with shows on June 28 and 29. 

Mapa is a GLAAD Award-winning actor, playwright, comedian and journalist. He has been seen on Broadway in Timon of Athens, A Little Hotel on the Side and M. Butterfly and Off-Broadway in A Language of Their Own and Dogeaters. Mapa was awarded the Davidson Valentini GLAAD Award for promoting visibility and working on behalf of GLBT causes. His TV credits include recurring roles as Gabrielle's best friend, Vern, on Desperate Housewives and as the deliciously scoopalicous fashion reporter Suzuki St. Pierre in Ugly Betty. And on film, he has appeared in Bright Lights, Big City, Playing by Heart, and Connie and Carla as well as his upcoming role in the new Adam Sandler feature, You Don't Mess With The Zohan.

This guy is absolutely wild, folks, and if this interview is any indication, you're in for a wild and crazy night in June at this show. So, without further comment, let's get it going…

TJ: Welcome to NY. When was the last time you were in town?

MAPA:  I was  in town a couple months ago as a   presenter at the GLAAD awards.  I co presented the Vanguard award to MTV President Brian Graden with Randy Jackson.  It was very glam. Randy and I sat at a table  right next to  Barbara  Walters and stared at her like she was a painting. As long as I'm name dropping  I  got  to hang out with my friends Alan Cumming and Tim Gunn and I got  to meet  Cheyenne Jackson!  I'm so queer for him, it's  almost stalker-ish.. He said he was a  fan and I got  so excited I almost threw up.

TJ: OK, America's Gaysian Sweetheart? Where did that come from??

MAPA:  I've been an AIDS  activist/fundraiser for more than twenty years and  more than half my gigs are benefits.  I travel across the country for The Human Rights Campaign and I'm on the advisory board for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. So,   I literally live out of a suitcase for half the year. One time,I was filming a sitcom in  LA and I was rushing out of makeup and hair to catch a plane and my hairdresser said, "Where are you going?" and I said, "I'm going to  D.C. to do a fundraiser" and he said "Well you're just America's Gaysian Sweetheart" and I thought, "You know what?  I AM goddamnit! "

TJ: How long have you been in development for this show?

MAPA:  Gee.  I guess all year. I strike proofed my career by doing gay cruises all last year, so this is basically the show I've been doing for drunk gay guys at midnight out in the middle of the ocean. It's filthy fun and perfect if you have short attention span.

TJ: What can audiences expect when they come to see your show?

MAPA:  Lots of skin.  I've been working out with a personal trainer and it's turned me into an even bigger exhibitionist than I already was. You'll also hear Stage worthy anecdotes based on actual mortifying experiences. I find that humiliating stories about   myself have the biggest entertainment value. The stories are pretty raunchy and they all end with me and a whole bunch of egg on my face. I also talk about how ridiculous life in Los Angeles is and how the city is now one big reality show. You   can't fart in this town without somebody filming it.

TJ: How do go about choosing projects that you want to get involved in?

MAPA:  I'm not that picky. I bought a really nice house and the bank doesn't care how I pay for it. Clearly I'm  EXTREMELY lucky. I have recurring roles on Desperate Housewives and Ugly Betty and I didn't have to audition for either one of those jobs.   I always make it a point to choose the job that's going to be the most fun. Life is short. And so am I.

TJ: How does it feel to be such an open advocate for gay rights in the community?

MAPA:  I live in LA which is a big gay bubble but when I'm in Ohio, Colorado or the deep south – anyplace where people don't feel  safe to be their authentic selves  24/7  I realize that being an out person in the mainstream media makes an enormous  difference. I get  tons of MySpace messages from gay teens and they all  say "Thank You for being yourself. It's made me braver in my own life." That sends me to the moon.

MAPA:  A lot of actors who are openly gay, from what I understand, wind up getting labeled, which limits the roles they may get for different projects, which I personally think is just downright wrong. If you're an actor, you're an actor! Has this hurt or helped your career?

I Used To wonder if coming out would hurt my career, when the truth is I really didn't have one until I did. I'd feel it was detrimental if I just played the same queen over and over again and I was bored as hell. I don't feel as if I have, and I'm never bored.

TJ:  You have been getting a lot of exposure from your appearances on Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives. What has it been like for you?

MAPA:  I was on a UPN sitcom called Half an Half for four years that no white person ever saw. So, I Used To be a celebrity that only African Americans recognized.   I was on Ugly Betty and DH for just one season and now white people go bananas  too. As soon as I secure that Pakistani demographic, I'll be covered.

TJ:  Did you specifically time this for Gay Pride Weekend?

MAPA:  It would seem that way, wouldn't it?  I'm in the parade and everything!  Smile and wave.

TJ:  I remember the first time I saw you in the film Connie and Carla as n'Cream, which is one of my favorite films. Do many people still recognize you from that role?

MAPA:  I  get recognized for that movie in the most random places. The Bazaar in Istanbul, a  biker bar in Santa  Cruz, a pub in the West End. It was a box office  flop, but a very loving cult has grown around that movie. I'm so glad because singing and dancing in a dress next to Debbie Reynolds was the most fun I've ever had doing anything.

TJ: And I just read that you're going to be in the new Adam Sandler movie, You Don't Mess With The Zohan! What is your character in this and how was it working on the film?

MAPA:  I play a  hairdresser who teaches  Adam, a  former Israeli anti  terrorist  agent  how to cut bangs. Adam and I went to NYU together and we always liked each other because neither one of us  ever got  cast in any plays.  Working on that movie made me feel like the biggest homo on the planet because it was all straight  guys and me . The crew liked me because I made them giggle. Sometimes it's fun being the only girl.

TJ: You are just all over the place these days between Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives and TransAmerican Love Story and The Smartest Celebrity. Is it an understatement to say that life is good for Alec Mapa?

MAPA:  I have to continuously remind myself to enjoy the moment. You have to remember I started out as BD Wong's understudy in M. Butterfly. On the days I went on for him, I'd leave the stage door and get mobbed.  On the days I didn't, I'd exit the stage door and nobody gave a shit. I can't take the attention personally because the reality is it comes and it goes. Fast.

TJ: And you got married!! Congratulations! How is married life?

MAPA:  Getting married  was  the smartest  thing I've ever done. I should've done it  years ago. My husband keeps me  grounded  because  he's  not impressed with anyone. Bono sat in back of us at Spring Awakening and all he had to say was,  "That guy smells like booze."

TJ: OK, now a few questions for you to find out a little more about you offstage and off camera. What is your favorite way to relax when you're not working?

MAPA:  I'm on the road so much when I'm home I watch TIVO'd marathons of Oprah and Project Runway. By the tenth hour, I'm so relaxed that I've lost all power of speech. I read three books at once and I also surf the web for hours. Friend me on MySpace!

TJ: What kind of music do you like?

MAPA:  Anything Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Rickie Lee Jones, Rufus Wainwright. I'm a show queen, so Patti LuPone is the queen of the goddamn universe and that's all there is to it. I'll also get hooked on a soundtrack and listen to it on a loop. My last obsession was Grey Gardens.  I can't put that CD on with my husband in the room or he'll leave me.

TJ: What has been the most exciting moment in your life so far?

MAPA:  This one. Oh, and meeting Patti LuPone backstage at Gypsy. I almost threw up.

TJ: Now a simple one, what's your favorite color?

MAPA:  Green.

TJ: Finally, what would you be doing if you weren't an actor/comedian?

MAPA:  I'd be in a therapist's office trying to figure out why I sometimes feel so  empty. Wait a  minute, I already do that now.

TJ: Any final words for the fans?

MAPA:  Thanks for all your continued support! Please come see me in person at Joe's Pub!! My act is all the stuff I can't  say on TV, o it's super dirty. I'll be wearing really short shorts and if you sit up front, you'll be able to see my underpants. I'm also a  total lightweight,  so if you buy me a drink after the show, I'll pose for all kinds of incriminating pictures you can post on your MySpace or Facebook page. I'm talking tongue.

TJ: Thanks so much, Alec, and looking forward to seeing you in NYC!!

See, I warned you!! This fabulous talent is absolutely hysterical and he is live on stage at Joe's Pub, located at 425 Lafayette Street, between East 4th and Astor Place, on Gay Pride Weekend with shows on June 28^th at 9:30PM and June 29^th at 9:30PM. You can get tickets at www.joespub.com or in person at he Public Theater Box Office from 1pm to 6pm and at Joe's Pub from 6pm to 10pm. Both are located at 425 Lafayette St. And check out Alec's website at http://www.alecmapaofficialsite.com.  For now ciao, folks, and remember, laughter is the best medicine and, of course, theatre is my life!!!