▁expanded ▁the ▁article ▁into ▁his ▁book , ▁which ▁he ▁used ▁to ▁public ly ▁reve al ▁his ▁dis ability . ▁While ▁writing ▁the ▁book , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁at ▁ 2 7 , ▁started ▁his ▁television ▁writing ▁career ▁with ▁MTV ' s ▁Aw k ward . ▁▁ ▁Just ▁as ▁his ▁second ▁season ▁with ▁Aw k ward ▁wrapped ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁his ▁mem oir ▁I ' m ▁Special : ▁And ▁Other ▁L ies ▁We ▁Tell ▁O urs el ves ▁was ▁published . ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Jim ▁Par s ons , ▁who ▁had ▁read ▁O ' Con nell ' s ▁Th ought ▁Catalog ▁article , ▁option ed ▁the ▁book ▁through ▁his ▁company ▁That ' s ▁Wonder ful ▁Produ ctions ▁which ▁he ▁runs ▁with ▁husband ▁Tod d ▁Sp iew ak . ▁O ’ Con nell ▁was ▁assured ▁with ▁Par s ons ▁and ▁Sp iew ak ; ▁he ▁felt ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁trust ▁a ▁network ▁with ▁the ▁gay ▁content , ▁and ▁let ▁the ▁project ▁die ▁after ▁bu ying ▁the ▁option . ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁O ' Con nell ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁Out 1 0 0 ▁hon oring ▁L GB T Q ▁icons . ▁▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁and ▁Special ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁O ' Con nell ▁received ▁a ▁go - a head ▁from ▁Stage ▁ 1 3 ▁to ▁develop ▁a ▁script ▁for ▁Special , ▁based ▁on ▁his ▁mem oir , ▁with ▁eight ▁ 1