Discovery Channel finally discovers that gay men exist!

Jake Nodar (Getty Images/Frederick M. Brown) 

Would you believe that in its almost twenty-five years of broadcasting, The Discovery Channel has never featured an out gay man on one of its programs? I racked my brain and couldn't come up with any and when I asked a Discovery Channel publicist, she couldn't think of one either. 

That will situation will be rectified this April when Discovery debuts the second season of Out of the Wild, this time featuring an out gay man named Jake Nodar. 

Find out more after the jump!

Jake Nodar, a thirty-year-old horse trainer from Maryland, is the gay man in question. Out of the Wild: The Alaska Experiment, the show he will appear on, strands nine strangers together in the Alaskan Wilderness with three days worth of water, a map, a compass and instructions to find their way back to civilization — no matter how long it takes. Think Survivor, but without the backstabbing, tribal councils, or gratuitous skin shots.

I chatted with Jake this week and we'll have the full interview later including a special vlog. Interestingly, Jake made sure to out himself during the TCA panel when asked why he was on the show. His answer:

For me personally, I’ve always found Alaska to be appealing. I completely stumbled upon this, just complete fluke kind of thing, and being openly gay, I found it to be a very cool opportunity to go and represent, so that was — that was another really big thing for me.

I love that neither Jake nor The Discovery Channel are being coy about the fact Jake is gay (not that they are waving rainbow flags either). Jake is also a breath of fresh air when it comes to reality television; I don't mean to knock Bravo as that newtwork has been a wonderfully inclusive channel, but as we all know gay men are more than fashion designers, hair stylists, and interior designers. Jake, an avid hiker and countryboy, does represent that other side of gay men.

Jake attending the TCA in Los Angeles

Just to pique your curiosity here are a few facts about Jake:

• He's been in a relationship for four years.
• He grew up in a religious family
• He came out at age twenty while attending a horse training ranch in Parachute, Colorado. 

Out in the Wild doesn't air until April, but I'm already very much looking forward to it! Stay tuned for more of our coverage of Jake!