The Big C Exclusive: Gabriel Basso on Inspiring Viewers, Getting Crabs

Appropriate for the star of a show that tackles cancer with a mostly comedic take, Gabriel Basso spoke to me last week about how he hopes The Big C motivates people... while also joking that he gave himself crabs for a season two storyline.

The young actor plays Adam Jamison on the Showtime hit - which just got picked up for a third season - and said he sees the series as "inspiring" people with the message: "Why wait to be diagnosed to do things you love?"

Season two of The Big C has found Adam breaking free from his parents a bit, as he hangs out these days with Parker Posey's Poppy and he's certainly enjoyed his time this summer with the opposite sex in general.

"Something clicks as a teenager," he said. "The last place you want to turn is your parents. He's doesn't wanna be the kid dealing with cancer, so he branched out... and got an STD."

Ah, yes, the STD. On "The Little C," viewers squirmed in shock as Adam was diagnosed with crabs, which he accidentally passed along to his parents.

"I had to re-read that scene," Basso told me, joking: "I thought I was going crazy. But I'm method actor. I went out and got crabs just to understand his situation."

Basso says it's "surreal" to be working with Oscar nominees, Emmy winners and Tony winners (John Benjamin Hickey won his Tony during the shooting of season) and says of the episodes ahead:

"Adam accepts that his mom is gonna die. He becomes more lenient and kind along the way."

The Big C airs a new episodes this Monday on Showtime at 10:30 p.m.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.