Tag: Billy Porter

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Preview: Ryan Murphy’s New Series “Pose”

FX recently dropped the first full preview of Ryan Murphy’s upcoming new series Pose, which plays across the landscape of drag ball culture in 1980s New York City.

The series initially made headlines after announcing five transgender actors in trans roles as series regulars – Indya Moore, Angelica Ross, Hailie Sahar, Dominique Jackson, and M.J. Rodriguez – easily the most ever cast in a TV series.

The series also stars TV veterans James Van Der Beek (Dawson’s Creek), Kate Mara (House of Cards), Murphy regular Evan Peters, and Tony Award-winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots).

According to press materials, Murphy looks to journey across 1986 NYC finding the intersections of the downtown literary scene, the ball culture and the lavish luxe of the emerging Trump era.

Pose premieres Sunday, June 3 on FX. Watch the preview below.

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New Web Series Features Billy Porter Singing “Tiny Hands”

It’s a testement to the horrible flu I’ve been fighting all week long that I somehow missed this most fabulous new video from Broadway impresario Jordan Roth featuring Tony Award winner Billy Porter (Kinky Boots).

Launched this week, Roth’s comedic web series, “The Birds and the BS,” is intended to address the cultural coarsening of America under Donald Trump.

Roth told The New York Times, “We need a kids’ show for us, to remind ourselves of these basic human decencies in the complicated adult world that we now swim in, and if we can do that with a laugh and a catchy tune and a little bit of shock, then we might actually watch it, and then think about it.”

The video, which includes off-color language, features an animated character voiced by Billy Porter, an actor who won a Tony Award for his role in “Kinky Boots” (a show produced by Ms. Roth and housed in a theater owned by Jordan Roth). Mr. Porter’s animated avatar, shown alongside a sketch of Mr. Trump, says “even though they say he has tiny hands, they’re actually making fun of something else,” as an arrow points to the Trump image’s crotch.

But the animated Billy Porter then says there are better ways to criticize the president.

“We grown-ups should know better than to make fun of people’s appearances, even the people we hate,” Mr. Porter says. “There are far, far better, things to debase, like his flabby punctuation, comb-over obfuscation. It’s his shameful bigotries that look so dumpy in his khakis.”

In an interview, Mr. Porter said he agreed to participate as an expression of his opposition.

“It’s about the resistance,” he said. “James Baldwin says it’s the artist’s job to disturb the peace, and I take that very seriously. I’m not a community organizer, I’m not a politician, but with creative energy I can help change hearts and minds with my stuff.”

(h/t TheOUTFront)

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Music Video: Billy Porter “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair”

Tony & Grammy Award-winner Billy Porter shares his latest music video, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair,” which offers his own timely take on the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic from South Pacific.

The track comes from Billy’s latest album, Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers.

Billy’s message here is clear: Resist. Resist. Resist. Resist.

I interviewed Billy when the album was released last year. It was shortly after the election of Donald Trump and Billy was already on fire.

“James Baldwin says, ‘An artist’s job is to disturb the peace!’ I take my job very seriously. Get your war clothes on kids, it’s time to fight! #resistyall.” – Billy Porter

Watch the powerful video below. #Resist

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Video: Tony Award Winner Billy Porter Dazzles With Powerful Live Performance Of “Time/Love Is On The Way”

Tony Award winner and out activist Billy Porter shares a new installment of “The Billy Porter Experience Concert Experience” from his 2017 summer tour.

In a moving compilation of two Porter tunes – “Time” and “Love Is On The Way” – Billy continues to reveal the passion, power and sensitivity of his exponentially growing gifts.

With the video, Billy shared:

This installment of THE BILLY PORTER CONCERT EXPERIENCE brings hope! Now it the TIME for change. It’s a moment to keep ourselves open to the knowledge that LOVE IS ON THE WAY! Actually, love hasn’t gone anywhere. We just need to remember how to engage in that space. 2018 for me will be about holding on to the truth that LOVE WINS! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

As you may know, Billy’s recording of “Time” became an overnight hit when it was featured on So You Think You Can Dance to devastating effect.

And “Love Is On The Way” was included on the soundtrack for the Bette Midler/Goldie Hawn/Diane Keaton film, The First Wives Club.

Completely in the moment, check the unfiltered emotion at the 5:18 mark. Watch below.

If you missed it, check out my podcast interview with the formidable Mr. Porter here.

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Cyndi Lauper Reimagines Poignant, Acoustic “Not My Father’s Son” From KINKY BOOTS

With the original stars of Kinky Boots back in the Broadway company of the hit musical for a limited 15-week engagement, it’s no wonder the Tony Award-winning composer of the show Cyndi Lauper would take time to reflect and reimagine one of the most impactful songs in the show.

Via press release:

Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award winning artist and activist Cyndi Lauper today released the poignant music video for “Not My Father’s Son,” the heartbreaking and inspiring song from her smash hit, Tony Award winning musical, Kinky Boots.

Lauper re-imagined the song, producing and arranging a new, acoustic version of the track, which features original cast members Billy Porter and Stark Sands, released today by Sony Masterworks Broadway.

The music video, which Lauper conceived and directed herself, features gives visual to one of the most important songs from the hit show – telling the story of two very different people from wildly different backgrounds who find common ground through their shared trauma. Exploring the pressure of growing up with a parent’s very narrow expectations, the song celebrates finding peace in your own skin. The video, shot in stark black and white on New York City streets, only leaps into color as the two men, who are on a physical as well as metaphorical journey, are reunited in their safe space.

“Now felt like the right time to do this,” Lauper explained. “I wanted to tell the story of two totally different men, from different walks of life, that come together to realize that it’s our differences that should bring us together. That’s inspiring. And I think we could all use some of that these days… It’s also a great way to welcome Billy and Stark back to Broadway!”

Porter and Sand continue in Kinky Boots on Broadway through January 7, 2018.

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Billy Porter In Concert: Kinky Boots Medley – “Land of Lola/Sex Is In the Heel/Just Be”

Billy Porter performs a medley of songs from his Broadway hit show, Kinky Boots
Billy Porter in concert

I’ve known Tony Award winner Billy Porter since the early 90s when we both were beginning our careers in New York City theater. I’ve been proud of him every day for his unvarnished, raw passion and talent that he brings to bear on every project he takes on.

The phrase “force of nature” seems the perfect way to describe Billy and his art.

Billy shared this video today, a medley of songs from the Broadway hit musical Kinky Boots for which he won his Tony honor, performed this summer while touring in concert.

Via Facebook:

So as I’ve stated in the recent past, my return to Ms. Lola and The Boots That Are Kinky is about the gift of love. The gift of grace and acceptance that we are blessed to share with the world 8-times-a-week.

I had the pleasure of touring this summer with my new album Billy Porter Presents: The Soul Of Richard Rodgers. It was exhilarating and humbling to be reminded of a part of my ministry that I had buried. My music! My personal voice. Standing in front of my band, as ME, and spreading the message of unconditional love.

As many of you know I am VERY political. It’s all over me. It’s in everything that I do. Every choice I make. The only thing I’m interested in is telling the truth. Sometimes that goes well and sometimes some folk get their panties in a wad because I don’t ascribe to the “shut up and sing” silencing rhetoric that has permeated out culture as of late through the very vocal minority who think they are running shit.

My music is my life. I have been reborn. And I’ll will be on the front lines fighting for what I know is right till the end of time.

With that said, this post of the KINKY BOOTS MEDLEY is the first installment of many to come from the culmination of my summer concert tour. Spread the love! Resist y’all!

Earlier this year, I interviewed Billy about his latest album, Billy Porter presents The Music of Richard Rodgers, for my podcast. As always, he was an awesome interview: candid, authentic, unfiltered and fearless.

Watch Billy perform a medley of songs from Kinky Boots below, and you can listen to my interview with him here.

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News Round-Up: September 1, 2017

(via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Roberto Caccamo gets a jump start on the weekend. #ThisBeMeIn321

• Four-time Grammy Award winner/out singer-songwriter Sam Smith announces new music due out next week.

• L’Oréal fires transgender model Munroe Bergdorf for speaking out against racism.

• Hollywood is singing the blues as summer comes to an end and the LA Times reports the lowest number of movie tickets sold in the U.S. since 1992.

• Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers says society is getting better about accepting gays in the locker room, but players still have “a fear of job security” if they might come out.

• September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to connect with those affected by suicide and to share resources to better support individuals to prevent suicide. According to a 2016 study by the Center for Disease Control, 43% of lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students seriously considered suicide in the previous 12 months, compared to 15 percent of their heterosexual peers. Find more info at the Human Rights Campaign.

• Dance into the weekend with these new remixes of “Carefully Taught” by Tony/Grammy Award winner Billy Porter and India.Arie. The first is by Quentin Harris, the second by John J-C Carr.

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Tony & Grammy Award Winner Billy Porter: “Why I Am Committed To Disturbing The Peace”

Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter has penned a powerful op-ed for his hometown newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, titled “Why I Am Committed To Disturbing The Peace.”

God, I love me some Billy Porter. The phrase “force of nature” seems like an understatement when describing his incredible spirit.

Here’s an excerpt:

James Baldwin said, “An artist’s job is to disturb the peace.” I take my job very seriously. The challenging thing about crossover success is that it sometimes comes in the form of playing characters that everyone can love for his or her diplomacy. Everyone loves Switzerland. Here’s what I need everyone to understand as we all move forward. I won a Tony Award as the big-hearted drag queen Miss Lola in “Kinky Boots” — a character I loved playing and will soon play again on Broadway. I suspect many of you came to the concert expecting Lola. And while there are many similarities between us, Lola is a creation of fiction and resides in the comfortable space we in show business call “commercial success.”

Billy Porter the man is a very different entity with a voice that will never be defined or confined by anything or anybody. And while I profoundly apologize for cussing in front of children, I encourage you all to harness and activate the same outrage you have for my F-Bombs and direct that energy to our “leader,” who managed to get elected even after bragging about grabbing women by their … well, this is a family newspaper. I find myself staring in the face of a president and an administration that think it’s perfectly fine to put my humanity up for legislation — again! We already did this, y’all. Folk have already fought and died for our rights, so excuse me if I’m having a hard time worrying about other people’s comfort levels.

I’m turning on my news outlets every day and seeing the leader of the free world lie every time he opens his mouth. I see a man whose lies have led to an investigation of collusion and treason against our country. I see the GOP standing silent to all these things and therefore complicit in them. I also see Congress, under the cloak of many-a-night, aggressively passing laws that roll back progress and protections we’ve made in the country over the past century pertaining to my basic human rights by making discrimination against me legal … again! I see an administration attacking my transgender brothers and sisters in the military just because it can. I see it attacking women. I see the KKK and white supremacist attacking my Jewish brothers and sisters in this country by marching mask-less in the streets and chanting, “Jews will not replace us,” among many other terrifying things, and a president who responds by blaming the victims. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of the last 200-plus days of terror this administration has vomited on this country. I haven’t slept in months. I fear for my safety and my family’s every time I step out of the bubble that is New York City.

I know in my heart that ultimately love is the answer, but sometime tough love needs to be implemented, and it ain’t pretty. I’m working on grace. But the line has been drawn in the sand. It’s unfortunate, but there are sides now. I’ve chosen mine. You chose yours.

I really encourage you to click over and read the full op-ed.

I’ve known Billy for almost 30 years. As I and the public at large is very aware, he is a man of incalculable talent and passion. Billy knows and speaks his truth with ferocious heart.

I interviewed Billy a few months ago as he released his newest album, The Soul of Richard Rodgers. You can listen to Billy speak truth to power in that interview here.

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Billy Porter Accepts GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award With Powerful Call To Action

Tony Award winner Billy Porter at the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards

In accepting GLAAD’s Vito Russo Award at the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on May 6, my man Billy Porter preached to the people about being silenced, remembered those who fought for equality before us, and issued a powerful call to unite against forces that try to discriminate and divide people.

I’ve known the Tony Award winner (Kinky Boots) for almost 30 years, and this is prime “Billy.”

Get your war clothes on, people. Stay strong. Stay vigilant. Stay visible. Stay hopeful. Stay focused. Be brave. Be fierce.

Resist. Resist. Resist. Resist. Resist.

I recently interviewed him about his fantastic new album, Billy Porter Presents the Soul of Richard Rodgers, and halfway through the interview Billy connected the dots between his music and his activism. And we were off!

I, of course, could not have been more thrilled. Check out that interview on my podcast over on iTunes.

But for now, watch Billy go, go, go below.

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Podcast: Tony & Grammy Award Winner Billy Porter Talks “The Soul Of Richard Rodgers”

On the latest The Randy Report podcast, Tony and Grammy Award winner Billy Porter talks about his new album – Billy Porter presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers.

The collection features new, soulful takes on classic Richard Rodgers songs from Broadway musicals including Oklahoma!, The Sound of Music, Babes in Arms, South Pacific, and The King and I, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Lorenz Hart.

Billy is the very picture of a passionate Renaissance man – actor, recording artist, director, playwright and activist.

Broadway credits include Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Grease, and Smokey Joe’s Cafe. He won the Tony Award, as well as the Grammy, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for his groundbreaking performance of “Lola” in Kinky Boots. That was followed by joining the all-star line up for Shuffle Along.

Film and television credits include Barry Levinson’s “The Humbling” opposite Al Pacino, Sundance Film Festival features “The Broken Hearts Club” and “Intern,” “Noel” (with Susan Sarandon and Robin Williams), “Shake Rattle & Roll” as Little Richard, “Another World,” “Twisted,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “The Tonight Show” and more.

In 2014, Primary Stages presented the highly successful World Premiere of While I Yet Live, Porter’s autobiographical play at off Broadway’s Duke Theater.

Hit play below to listen as Billy explains the inspiration for the new album and much, much more 🙂

Billy Porter presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers is available now at all digital download outlets.