Podcast Summary: “Billy Porter Wears Many Hats”

Podcast: The New Yorker Radio Hour
Host: David Remnick (with Rachel Syme interviewing Billy Porter)
Date: November 29, 2019

Overview

This episode features a lively and deeply personal conversation with Billy Porter—actor, singer, writer, director, and fashion icon—recorded at the New Yorker Festival. Porter discusses his multifaceted career, his journey through the entertainment industry, the power of representation, his groundbreaking sense of fashion, and the challenges that come with fame. The conversation, led by Rachel Syme, sheds light on Porter’s resilience, self-expression, and evolving ambitions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Billy Porter's Beginnings: Theater, Music, and Early Influences

• Porter’s Early Theatricality and Roots

  • Describes himself as a "very theatrical child" and credits the Pentecostal Church for being “theater” and shaping his early stage presence.
    "I also grew up in the Pentecostal Church, which is theater, so I got a lot of training from church." (02:37)
  • Recounts falling in love with performance through the school musical “Babes in Arms”, feeling seen for the first time when he was uniquely cast in a leading role.
    "It was the first time that I felt seen... I was always the last one picked in gym... Somebody thinks I can do whatever this thing is because I don't have to share it with anybody." (04:12-04:34)

• Education and Career Beginnings

  • Attended Creative and Performing Arts High School, then Carnegie Mellon, which led him to Broadway.
  • Even before graduation, had already landed theatrical roles and started making music.

2. Struggles and Challenges in the Music Industry

• Homophobia and Identity

  • Detailed his experiences with “violent” homophobia in the 1990s music industry, describing the constant need to hide or alter his true self for acceptance.
  • Recounts being told to fit into societal expectations—which was always unattainable.
    "It was always about trying to fix myself so that other people would feel comfortable around me and not think I was gay... it was just never enough. And it was the first time that my voice didn’t save me." (05:17-06:33)

• The 'Life of Almosts'

  • Chronicled a painful period of “almosts” in his career, where he was consistently seen as too much or not enough of various qualities, whether racial, sexual, or artistic.
    "Everything was an almost... Always, never straight enough." (06:59-07:34)

3. Turning Inward, Manifesting, and Reinvention

• Refocusing Career Path

  • Porter made a conscious decision to step away, take control, and begin manifesting roles and creative opportunities for himself after feeling pigeonholed and frustrated with lack of real opportunities.
    "Special doesn’t pay the bills." (07:24)
    "If you feel like you can tell the story yourself, you should, because nobody has ever looked like you... You’re gonna have to show the world what it means and what it looks like." (07:43)

• Manifestation Stories

  • Recalls “manifesting” both his participation in the revival of “Angels in America” and his Tony-winning role in “Kinky Boots”.
    "You can manifest. You can speak it without even knowing it." (08:47-09:53)

4. “Pose” and Representation

• Landing the Role of Pray Tell

  • Originally auditioned for another part, advocated for the need for an adult male presence in the cast, leading to the creation of Pray Tell specifically for him. “And Ryan Murphy felt that that was actually right and real and created Pray Tell for me. And that’s how it happened.” (12:34)

• Connection to Ball Culture

  • Porter describes being "ball-adjacent," calling attention to the importance of mainstream representation and how “Paris Is Burning” was a touchstone for queer visibility. "Once again, it was representation. Like, we saw ourselves." (11:14)

5. Fashion as Expression and Cultural Influence

• Early Influences and Family Traditions

  • Recounts growing up in a fashion-centric Black family, with church as a “fashion show,” and his grandmother sewing custom pieces. "The black church is a fashion show every time you show up... My grandmother could sew, and so she would sew the pattern." (13:22-14:00)

• Oscar Gown Moment

  • Breakdown of the iconic 2019 Oscars tuxedo-gown and its intent to question gender expectations.
    "If the shot starts here and it looks like I'm in a tuxedo... and then we pull out and it's her, everybody will gag, and everybody gags now." (15:18)
  • Porter’s intention was authenticity, not shock value. "I really was focused on what would be the most authentic version of me showing up to the Oscars for my very first time. And that's what it is." (15:58)

6. Navigating New Levels of Fame

• Awards and Ambitions

  • Shares where he displays his Grammy, Tony, and new Emmy, and jokes about manifesting an Oscar next.
    "Come on, Oscar. Oscar, Oscar. Come on, Oscar. I’m ready for you." (16:45)

• Upcoming Projects

  • Announces multiple new ventures, including:
    • Film: “Like A Boss” (January release)
    • Fairy Godmother role in new “Cinderella”
    • Forthcoming album: R&B, pop, soul, inspirational dance
    • Directing on “Pose”
    • Directing a play brought from Boston to New York
    • First male on the cover of Allure magazine

• Challenges of Fame and Anonymity

  • Reflects on wanting to remain connected to people and everyday experiences, even as fame grows. "I don’t want to have to be a recluse because I can’t go shopping at Whole Foods for my own... That’s an interesting thing." (17:49)
    • Shares anecdotes about being recognized at gay clubs and in Paris, adjusting to his new public profile. "It’s just been coming so fast this year that I haven’t had a chance to breathe at all. So I just, you know, I’m getting used to this new rhythm, and hopefully I'll be able to get a handle on it." (19:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Somebody thinks that I’m talented. Somebody thinks I can do whatever this thing is because I don’t have to share it with anybody.” — Billy Porter on landing his first unique musical role (04:24)
• “It was just never enough. And it was the first time that my voice didn’t save me.” — On the pain of hiding in the music industry (06:33)
• "Special doesn’t pay the bills." – Bruce Cohen, as recounted by Billy Porter (07:24)
• "If you feel like you can tell the story yourself, you should, because nobody has ever looked like you..." (07:35)
• "You can manifest. You can speak it without even knowing it." (09:23)
• "I have to say, I knew it would cause a stir. I didn’t know that it was gonna be for my life... I really didn’t do it for that. I really was focused on what would be the most authentic version of me showing up to the Oscars for my very first time." (15:30-15:58)
• "I’m a big old gay club boy... Bitch, I’m on the same thing as you’re on. You got pictures of yourself all over the internet looking like a ghoul. Leave me alone. Let me get my party on." (18:01)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:20 – 01:45: Billy Porter’s early passion for performance and his first memories of fashion
• 04:12 – 05:08: Feelings of being “seen” for the first time and early career jumps
• 05:17 – 06:43: Discussing heartbreak and homophobia in the music industry
• 06:58 – 08:39: “Life of almosts,” tackling rejection, and advice from Bruce Cohen
• 08:47 – 10:14: Manifesting “Angels in America” and “Kinky Boots”
• 10:14 – 12:34: Joining “Pose” and the creation of Pray Tell
• 13:14 – 15:06: The Oscar gown, fashion influences, and intention behind red carpet moments
• 16:17 – 16:41: Award display and dreaming of an Oscar
• 16:54 – 17:41: Upcoming projects
• 17:49 – 19:32: Coping with sudden fame and maintaining personal freedom

Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Billy Porter’s voice rings with humor, candor, and inspiration. He analyzes his journey from feeling unseen and silenced to becoming an emblem of authenticity and boundary-breaking representation. With warmth and sharp wit, Porter unpacks the stakes and satisfactions of his visibility both onstage and off, reminding listeners of the personal and cultural power of living honestly and unapologetically.