His film debut was in the 1978 movie A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich, where he had a lengthy nude scene when his teenage character was stripped and bathed by his mother (played by Cicely Tyson). He may be best known for playing Lamar Latrell, the openly gay fraternity member in the Revenge of the Nerds series of comedy films from 1984 to 1994. In Fear of a Black Hat, he played Tasty-Taste, an imitation of rapper Flavor Flav.
He has also made appearances in a wide range of television sitcoms, including Barney Miller, The Jeffersons, Seinfeld, St. Elsewhere, and Martin along with the television movie "Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry".