Alec Mapa (pronounced /ˈmɑːpə/ "MAH-puh"; born July 10, 1965) is an American actor, comedian and writer.
Mapa, a Filipino American, was born in San Francisco and attended George Washington High School (San Francisco).
Mapa is openly gay and lends his support to various projects supporting the gay, lesbian, and Asian American communities.
One of Mapa's earliest appearances was in 1980 as a drama student at Washington High School's production of Bye Bye Birdie where he starred as Randolph McAffee. He later appeared in R.E.M.'s seminal video for the song "Losing My Religion" as the boy tied to a tree with an arrow in his heart.
He got his first professional break when he was cast to replace B.D. Wong in the Broadway production of M. Butterfly. On television, he has made guest appearances on a wide variety of programs, including Jamie Foxx Show, Roseanne, Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, Friends, Murder One and Dharma & Greg. He co-starred with Jason Bateman in the short-lived 2001 comedy Some of My Best Friends. He played Adam Benet in the UPN comedy Half & Half.
He wrote and performed in a one-man play titled "I Remember Mapa", about his experiences growing up gay in San Francisco.
Mapa was a featured performer on the Logo original stand-up comedy series Wisecrack. He recently appeared as Vern, Gabrielle's gay best friend, on the hit ABC series Desperate Housewives. He currently plays a recurring role in Ugly Betty, as the on-screen host of the fashion-oriented television channel that covers the inside gossip from Mode and other fashion magazines.
Mapa's film credits include parts in Bright Lights, Big City, Playing by Heart, and Connie and Carla, among others. He was recently featured in the movies Super Sweet 16: The Movie and Tru Loved.
Currently he is hosting Transamerican Love Story. This show is a reality dating program starring transgender woman Calpernia Addams selecting from among eight potential suitors.
