Sam Pancake Still “Carries the Scars” of Living Through the AIDS Epidemic

by Christopher Rudolph

13h ago

If you’ve watched any network television over the past 30 years, then you probably recognize Sam Pancake.

The out actor’s IMDB page is lengthy, and he has had parts in everything from The West Wing to Gilmore Girls to Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3.

Pancake can be currently be seen on ABC’s A Million Little Things, but it’s his guest appearance on a recent podcast that has him making headlines.

Pancake was a guest on Crooked Media’s Lovett or Leave It, a comedy podcast hosted by Jon Lovett that pokes fun at the latest political news. During his appearance, the actor spoke about how he had encountered ageism, or “gaygism,” from another gay guy at a recent party, who said he would “rather be dead” than live to be Pancake’s age—which is “over 50.”

“I fought for you, I marched for you… a lot of guys my age, a lot of whom died, made the world okay for you now,” Pancake told the Lovett or Leave It audience, recounting what he would have said at that moment. “In the ’80s, when I was in my teens and early twenties, it was a terrible time to be a gay person, as we all know with AIDS. Men were dying, men had HIV. We lost so many people.”

New episode! The impeachment trial is live and Mr. Peanut is dead. Thanks to @shutupaida and @jsampancake who were awesome on the panel as I powered through a cold and light fever that really gave this show a loose vibe. https://t.co/otgjhdPA2K

— Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) January 25, 2020

“Go to a party, look around at your five closest friends. Two years later they won’t be there anymore,” he continued.

“Bitch, my friends did die. My uncle died, my boss died, so many acquaintances, people I worked with at Johnny Rockets when I first moved here. The best guy in the world—two weeks later you come back and he’s dead. That’s how life was for us back in the ’80s and early ’90s.”

As Pancake later tweeted: “I wish this weren’t so messy, but it genuinely is off the top of my heart. Much love to all y’all that also went thru this, & still carry the scars today.”

Watch his emotional rant in the video below.

Chills. Sobs. @jsampancake’s #LovettorLeaveIt rant may or may not cause both. https://t.co/TP9MbticCp pic.twitter.com/C6RwW3kMh4

— Crooked Media (@crookedmedia) January 28, 2020