He’s back! So read part of an announcement on the international Gay Games (GG9) website in reference to Del Shores, the iconoclastic writer of the play/movie/TV series “Sordid Lives” and of various episodes of “Queer as Folk,” “Dharma and Greg,” and “Touched by an Angel.”

The actor spoke to me by phone from his north Los Angeles home. He’s personable, easy to talk to, constantly funny, down-to-earth, and obviously creative and energetic.

When asked about the coming-back phrase – Shores figured the reference must allude to a time a few years ago when he was doing a 39-stop stand up tour that included a stint in a small bar in Cleveland called “Cocktails.”

Shores got into the stand-up comedy gig when faced with some legal issues over residuals for actors and others in the “Sordid Lives” series. Because he’d been kept out of TV for a bit, Shores said his husband at the time counseled him to go on the road. And he did.

Del Shores. Photo courtesy of Del Shores

Shores admitted that he “kinda got seduced into” doing more stand-up work by fellow performer Caroline Rhea (who played the role of Noleta Nethercott in “Sordid Lives). He has since appeared with her and Rue McClanahan (veteran actress of the “Golden Girls” and also “Sordid Lives”) in some large comedy venues.

He is indeed coming back to this area as part of the plethora of arts and cultural events associated with GG9. Since the games are shared in both Cleveland and Akron, the comic will be coming to the Highland Theatre in the Highland Square area of Akron for a one-night only performance on Wednesday, August 13 at 8 p.m.

His schtick is called “My Sordid Best,” referring to an amalgam of material he used in his three tours, plus some new tales to share. Shores says he has “a map” of the things that he will perform that he thinks will work well for this audience. He indicated he’ll just get started and let it flow as the audience begins to respond to his raucous stories.

“I’m a thief,” Shores said, in a comment about his material. He doesn’t really tell jokes per se; he relates stories of the people he has known in his southern Baptist, Texas background – all of which appear in his tales. The central character in “Sordid Lives,” Sissy, was based on his aunt. A character like his mother does as well, as does the author himself.

Shores figures all that is funny enough – and it is, if you’ve ever seen his stuff.

When asked if he’s going to take on gay marriage as a topic – since it is a political and social bombshell currently – Shores said that’ll be in there too. Shores has gone through a gay marriage and divorce, and knows whereof he speaks. As he emphatically said, he’s very pro-gay marriage – and gay divorce as well. His comments should be scathingly funny and to the topic.

Shores’ creativity goes well beyond stand up gigs; his work is far-reaching. He has the movie “Sordid Lives” under his belt, plus two others – Blues for Willadean” and “Southern Baptist Sissies,” which has piled up 15 awards at gay film festivals, including a best picture award in his category.

Shores stated that he has just finished another screenplay, “A Very Sordid Wedding,” and is now starting to call together former cast members from “Sordid Lives” and beginning to raise the funds to get it produced and distributed. The storyline is a follow-up after some 14 years of the characters who appeared in the earlier tale, plus some additional characters and storylines.

Shores’ plays have also done well.

Shores wrote his first play when he was 26 years old, but it was his second, “Daddy’s Dying. Who’s Got the Will?” that made all the difference. At age 28, Shores said a review in the “Los Angeles Times” changed his life. It called him a “new voice in theater.” What a confidence booster. The movie version came at age 30, and so did a contract with Warner Brothers studio to write for TV.

Shores is looking forward to his Akron performance, for which credit goes to Scott Sella, owner of Every Blooming Thing florist in Akron, who, as a big fan of Shores, pitched the idea of Shores coming for GG9. It worked.

As a teaser, Shores said he’ll “open on the church” – with a hymn, and then go into “the craziest church service ever” in his life. The setting was his father’s church (his father was a southern Baptist preacher). Hmmm.

Del Shores. Photo courtesy of Del Shores

Del Shores will perform his “My Sordid Best” at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13 at Highland Theatre, 836 W. Market St., Akron; 330-253-2488; www.gg9cle.com/plan-my-visit/entertainment. Tickets are $25 ($35 VIP).