Link to the n*de dudes

In Righteous Gemstones Episode 3.4, the Sex Toy Guy (Nick Vardakas) attends Keefe's Ice Cream and Wieners Party with his Dad (Nick Arapoglou). Biker Clarence happens to be there, and tells them that Keefe bought out his adult store's entire inventory. Afraid of being outed, Keefe says "that's just something we used to do with the kids." Great idea, buddy. Now they don't think you're gay, they think you're...

Later, the parents meet with Kelvin to complain that Keefe is "weird" and not qualified to be a youth leader. Dad continues: "With all the rumors swirling around you, can't you see how strange this all looks?"

"There's rumors about me?" Kelvin asks, shocked.

Jack: And then Kelvin said...he said...

Karen: That no one knows he's gay!

The real-life Nick Arapoglou (a gay ally) was born in Huntington, New York, but moved to Atlanta as a child. He was a Drama Club Kid in high school, appearing in an al-fresco production of Midsummer Night's Dream (in a real forest).

He received a B.A. in drama from Indiana University in 2007, then returned to Atlanta, where he became a mainstay of the theater scene.

Nick's theatrical performances include:

A closeted gay guy in Speech & Debate (2009)

A straight guy in the queer-themed Spring Awakening (2011).

My Name is Asher Lev (2012), based on the classic coming-of-age novel by Chaim Potok, about a Hasidic Jewish boy torn between his religion and his art.

The Gifts of the Magi (2012), based on the O. Henry story, where Nick met his future wife Caroline.

Bobby Strong in Urinetown: The Musical (2013).

Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (2015)

The Toxic Avenger (2016), based on the 1984 movie about a slime-covered superhero.

A straight Elvis impersonator turned drag performer in The Legend of Georgia McBride (2017).

Straight Muppet Princeton and gay Muppet Rod in Avenue Q (2023), which won him the Suzi Bass Award for best actor in a musical.

Plus he has 33 acting credits listed on the IMDB, beginning with Frat Guy in the short Married Sex (2009) and Fashion School Kid (probably queer coded) in a 2011 episode of Single Ladies.

More after the break

Nick has appeared in The Vampire Diaries, Saints & Sinners, The Walking Dead (as the medic Kurt, seen here being eaten by zombified Jason Douglas), Lodge 49, The Resident, and Florida Man (as an EMT who helps a woman fake her death).

His most queer-friendly role is in Freaky (2020), a horror movie about a high school girl who accidently switches bodies with serial killer the Butcher (Vince Vaughn). She manages to convince her friends of the switch, and even kisses her boyfriend (Uriah Sheldon, left) while in a man's body (he's attracted to personality, not body parts).

Her best friend Josh is played by nonbinary actor Mischa Osherovich. Quite a queer-friendly movie.

Nick plays a deputy sheriff who tries to help the teens.

Nick is also known for Smile (2022): Therapist Rose Cotter is threatened by the Smile Entity that can make her and the people around her do horrible things (like give her nephew a dead cat for his birthday) . She has an ex-boyfriend (Kyler Gallner), a current boyfriend (Jesse T. Usher), and a sister, who is married to Greg (Nick).