1 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:12,040 Speaker 1: We're ten years apart, and she's been my best friend since. 2 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 2: She was an avy. 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: I was queer very early, and that came with a 4 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: lot of pushback from our community. You know, when it 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:26,159 Speaker 1: was time to make the unconditional love choice. She and 6 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: my mother both made that choice in the faith of 7 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: an entire community and infrastructure, telling them both that they 8 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: were going to burn in hell for doing so. 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 3: Hello Loves, I'm Andrea Waters King and that was a 10 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 3: trailblazing entertainer, actor, singer, styl hun the Emmy, Tony and 11 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 3: Grammy winning Billy Porter. Always his authentic self, Billy shared 12 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 3: his journey to overcome immense trauma to break down barriers. 13 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 3: Our conversation with Billy is a powerful of courage, finding self, love, 14 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 3: and standing boldly in your truth. 15 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 4: Billy is joined by his youngest sister. 16 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 3: Mary Martha Ford, who has been a steady source of 17 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 3: strength and inspiration throughout his life. Of course, there were 18 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 3: tears and laughter as they share what makes their brother 19 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 3: sister Bond unshakable. 20 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 4: Let's jump in. 21 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,839 Speaker 5: Well, welcome to my legacy. We're here with Billy Porter. 22 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 5: His extraordinary life story is one of courage, resilience, and authenticity. 23 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 5: And we hope it will inspire you to create a 24 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 5: living legacy and lead a more fulfilled life. On this podcast, 25 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 5: we don't just hear from iconic figures. We also connect 26 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:45,759 Speaker 5: with the people who know them best to give us 27 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 5: deeper understanding of the challenges and the triumphs that have 28 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 5: shaped their legacy. Joining Billy today is his sister, Mary 29 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 5: Martha Ford, whose love and support have been central to 30 00:01:56,720 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 5: his remarkable journey. Billy and Mary Martha, what rivilege it 31 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,040 Speaker 5: is to be with you, and thank you for being here. 32 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 5: And so, Billy, we got to start off by asking 33 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 5: you to introduce Mary Martha and sharing what makes her 34 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 5: such an important person in your life. 35 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: Okay, well, Mary Martha Elizabeth Ford is my baby sister. 36 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: We're ten years apart, and she's been my best friend 37 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 1: since she was an baby. It's like I couldn't wait 38 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: till she was old enough so we could like hang out. 39 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: I was like, get your childhood all over with please, 40 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 1: so we can hang out. You know, I call her 41 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: the rock star because you know, she turned she has 42 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: turned a very. 43 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:59,399 Speaker 2: Complicated life into something great for herself and everyone around her. 44 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 2: And I'm just you know, honored to call her my 45 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 2: rock star sister. 46 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 6: Oh, thank you. 47 00:03:10,200 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 5: It's beautiful. I love that I'm here with my brother. 48 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 5: I just I've got goosebumps or as you would say, 49 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 5: god bumps listening. 50 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 2: To that one. 51 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 5: I love it, Billy. So we're talking about legacy, and 52 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 5: can you take us way back to Pittsburgh. Can you 53 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 5: tell us a little bit about your childhood and maybe 54 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 5: share a story that really helps to shine a light 55 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 5: on what life was like for you growing up in 56 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 5: your younger years. 57 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: It was tough, you know, it was traumatizing very often, 58 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: and there was a lot of love as well. And 59 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: I had a lot of angels in my life who 60 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: were and camped around me, who saw me in ways 61 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: that sometimes my immediate family, my immediate sort of community 62 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: didn't understand. And these people were able to just kind 63 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: of guide me in the right directions so that I 64 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: could dream and accomplish beyond my circumstance. 65 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 2: You know. 66 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:33,600 Speaker 1: A music teacher identified that I could thing, and from 67 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: that point on, you know, in the fifth grade, and 68 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 1: from that point on, the agels in my life stepped 69 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,880 Speaker 1: in and made sure that I, you know, that I 70 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 1: was able to, like I said, dream and accomplish beyond 71 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: my circumstance. 72 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 7: Mary Martha, I've got a question for you, Yes, being 73 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 7: ten years younger, what was your DWN dynamic like when Billy, 74 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 7: you know, kind of growing up and how has it evolved? 75 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 6: Hows it evolved? 76 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 8: So I don't remember him until my first memory was 77 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 8: maybe when we were five, five or six, and it 78 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 8: was Christmas morning. That's one of my first memories, Christmas 79 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 8: morning and him waking me up and taking me like 80 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 8: I rode his back into the living room, and there 81 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:31,520 Speaker 8: were gifts, and there were gifts that he bought me 82 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:35,679 Speaker 8: with his own money because he had a job working 83 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 8: at kenny Wood, which was Kennywood Park, which was our 84 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 8: amusement park. I just remember Billy being kind and my friend, 85 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 8: someone that I looked up to, and he was always singing, 86 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 8: and so we were always everywhere where he was singing 87 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 8: and performing. My mom and I would be there all 88 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 8: of the time. I should have been at home on 89 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 8: a school night, but I was in the theater wherever 90 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,560 Speaker 8: he was. That's where we were, and so that's how 91 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,039 Speaker 8: I ended up catching the theater bug as well. How 92 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 8: has it evolved? It has evolved from being I don't know, 93 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 8: just brother and sister to best friends, and so I 94 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 8: can call him about anything. We talk every morning, you know, 95 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 8: there's you know, just to check in how you doing. 96 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 8: I'm doing all right, what you're doing today, And I'm 97 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,720 Speaker 8: very grateful for that. I recognize that the relationship as 98 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 8: siblings that he and I have is not one that 99 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 8: lots of people can say that they have with their siblings, 100 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 8: and so it's something that I used to take for granted, 101 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 8: which I don't take for granted anymore because now I 102 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 8: recognize how true and precious it is. 103 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,960 Speaker 3: What's so fascinating to me about that story, though, is 104 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,559 Speaker 3: I can just imagine, see if you were in fifth 105 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 3: grade and then Billy is about ten years older than you, like. 106 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 5: You. 107 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 3: You all said a little bit earlier that there's a 108 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 3: lot of trauma kind of growing up. But here this 109 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 3: to me, says it all about your heart, about the 110 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 3: fact of being an entertainer. 111 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 4: You you you worked. 112 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 3: Just make sure I heard the story correctly, and then 113 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 3: make sure that you that your sister had a good Christmas, 114 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 3: your baby sister. It's almost like that you know that protection, 115 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 3: but not only that, it seemed like there was so 116 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 3: much joy, you got as much joy that Christmas morning. 117 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 3: I just thought that that's such a beaut that I 118 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,040 Speaker 3: actually almost bought tears to my eyes just I can 119 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 3: kind of see you all, you know, going through that, 120 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 3: and I think it's so extraordinary, and I'm so I'm 121 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 3: also curious, then, Billy, how has your sister been a 122 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 3: source of strength for you throughout your lives growing up? 123 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 6: Don't cry? 124 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:11,520 Speaker 2: She you know, she was younger than me, and I 125 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 2: was queer very early. 126 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: In our community. That came with a lot of pushback 127 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: from our community and our family, and you know, when 128 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: it was time to make the unconditional love choice, she 129 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: and my mother both made that choice in the faith 130 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 1: of an entire community and infrastructure, telling them both that 131 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: they were going to burn in hell for doing so. 132 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:52,840 Speaker 2: Mary Martha was the first, you know, person that. 133 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: I came out to in my family, even before you know, 134 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: when she was sixteen. 135 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, before my mother. 136 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: Well, no, I told my mother, but my mother wasn't 137 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: able to receive it for a while. 138 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 2: So my sister was able to receive it. 139 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: At such a young age, and she was so present 140 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 1: in the moment for me and so evolved, you know, 141 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: And it was something that I had worked on trying 142 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: to give her, you know, trying to actually be the 143 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: same kind of angel for her that I had experienced 144 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:41,119 Speaker 1: for myself, to show her that there were spaces outside 145 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: of our immediate infrastructure. There were people outside of. 146 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 2: Our status quo. 147 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:57,800 Speaker 1: And experiences outside of that. 148 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 2: That were just as important. 149 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: And more important than the religious dogma that you know, 150 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: was trying to sort of be ingrained in us. There 151 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 1: were other options, and I was sort of trying to 152 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: show her those other options. And I didn't realize that 153 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 1: they had taken hold until I came out to her 154 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: at sixteen. 155 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:25,839 Speaker 2: They had already taken hold. 156 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,239 Speaker 1: All of those things that I was trying to instill 157 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: had already taken hold. 158 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:34,599 Speaker 2: And it was you know, it was magical. It was emotional, 159 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 2: and it was. 160 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 1: Gratifying and spiritual and all those things. 161 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 9: Well, Billy and Mary Martha, we admire your tenacity, your love, 162 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 9: your compassion towards each other. I also want to turn 163 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 9: to your amazing career, Billy. Your career has been a 164 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 9: masterclass and breaking barriers and living authentically. What drives you 165 00:10:56,679 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 9: to keep using your voice to create such substantive change 166 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:00,679 Speaker 9: as you do. 167 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 1: Artists have the power to reach inside of a human 168 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 1: being and transform them from the inside out. 169 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 2: Art has the power to heal all kinds of traumas. 170 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 2: My soul was saved because of the arts. 171 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: If I didn't have the arts, I don't think I 172 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: would be alive right now. 173 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:37,959 Speaker 2: Maybe, And I know. 174 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 1: That when I'm at my lowest, for as long as 175 00:11:43,840 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: I can remember, it's my art that gets me out 176 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:52,959 Speaker 1: of bed in the morning. And there was also growing up, 177 00:11:55,280 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: no representation, really, no mainstream crossover rotat representation of somebody 178 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: who looked like me, who stood at that intersection of blackness, 179 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: queerness and spirituality. And the ones who did were ignored, dismissed, 180 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: passed over, erased. And so how I know what it 181 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: felt like to be invisible for over half my life. 182 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,280 Speaker 1: And the only reason why I'm not invisible is because 183 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 1: I chose myself. 184 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 2: I chose my authenticity. 185 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: I chose to have the audacity to actually choose myself, 186 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: choose my authenticity and then stand on that. 187 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 3: Did you do that deliberately or do you think that 188 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,079 Speaker 3: choice was made for you? 189 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 2: No? 190 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:03,439 Speaker 1: No, Because for the first part of my life and 191 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: my career, I was trying to fit in so I 192 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: could eat. I wasn't lying, you know, but it was 193 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: the don't act, don't tell era of the world. And 194 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: so I wasn't telling. I wasn't lying, but I wasn't telling, 195 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: And the omission of not telling is ultimately a lie, 196 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: and that binds you as well, you know. And so 197 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: I had the gift of failing at somebody else and 198 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: particularly in the music industry in the nineties, and I 199 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: just vowed to myself that I would never show up 200 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: as somebody else again, and whatever that meant for my 201 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: life and career is whatever it means. 202 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 2: And I still say that today. 203 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,680 Speaker 1: You know, I grew up in a family who believed 204 00:14:00,160 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 1: to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. 205 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 2: So even right now, you know, with how you look 206 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 2: at me, with how you see me, which I think 207 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:16,920 Speaker 2: is so humbling and so inspiring and exactly my point. 208 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 2: Right to exist inside of the truth. 209 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:27,360 Speaker 1: And to have the audacity to be authentic and to 210 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: speak truth always, no matter how uncomfortable it may be 211 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: to some of the people around you. 212 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 2: Sometimes is great, and sometimes it's that so great, you know, 213 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 2: sometimes there are consequences that come with that, as you know. 214 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 1: So I'm grateful that my work and my efforts and 215 00:14:56,040 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: my intentions are being seen and experienced once again in 216 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: the spirit in which I am sharing them. 217 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 9: Billy, We're also glad that you've chosen that authenticity, and 218 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 9: I just want to say thank you for your eloquence. 219 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 9: Mary Morton went to want to ask you a quick 220 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:19,840 Speaker 9: question about a moment that Billy's love and support made 221 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 9: a difference in your life. 222 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 6: Oh, his love. 223 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 8: What people don't know is just how kind, like really 224 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 8: genuinely kind Billy is. And about fourteen years ago, I 225 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 8: had a medical scare where I had to have brain 226 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 8: surgery and I was going to be down for the 227 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 8: count for. 228 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 6: At least six weeks. 229 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 8: And Billy was working on a show in New York 230 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 8: and the show ended on a Sunday. He got in 231 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 8: the car on Monday, drove home to Pittsburgh. I had 232 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 8: surgery on a Tuesday, and then he stayed with me 233 00:15:59,840 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 8: for six weeks and he took excellent care of me. 234 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 6: So he's a great caregiver. He's a good chef too. 235 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 2: People don't know that he likes That's the thing. 236 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: That's the thing that I would say, you know, COVID 237 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: Lockdown really showed me that cooking is something that soothes me. 238 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 2: And something that's really healing to me. And it's a 239 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 2: love language for me. 240 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: You know, I'm not like a big gift giver and 241 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: I'm not like I'm not like that, but I love 242 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: to show love. 243 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 2: Through cooking. And if I cook for you, I love you. 244 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,480 Speaker 2: I don't cook for I don't generally cook for people 245 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 2: who I don't like or care about. 246 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 3: Do you have a specially he just likes to cook anything, anything, 247 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 3: And he can take anything that you know, remnants of 248 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 3: stuff in the refrigerator and he'll come up with something 249 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 3: and it bangs. That's how I know, Mary Martha, that's 250 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 3: a good cook. That's always my my test. I can 251 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 3: like I can follow a great recipe you know, or 252 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,199 Speaker 3: something that's been passed down, and I think I'm a 253 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:13,960 Speaker 3: pretty good cook. 254 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 2: Yes you are. 255 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 3: My sisters, they go into to me a true like 256 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 3: like they can go into the refrigerator and then they 257 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 3: can see what's there and then make a recipe and 258 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:29,840 Speaker 3: then make it taste good. That that always is my 259 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 3: bench smart for Yeah, can see there you go, Okay, 260 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:36,040 Speaker 3: then you use that that passes that passed the test. 261 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 5: Grabber refill on your coffee or tea because you won't 262 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:41,520 Speaker 5: want to miss the rest of this conversation, we'll be 263 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 5: right back. 264 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 7: Welcome back to my legacy, Billy. Which of your projects 265 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:14,719 Speaker 7: has had the greatest impact on your personal growth and 266 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 7: perspective as an artist? 267 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:22,040 Speaker 2: There's not one, but I will say there's a trilogy. 268 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: The first is Tony Kushner's Angels in America, which do 269 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:29,160 Speaker 1: you know that piece? 270 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 5: Of course? 271 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that was the first time. 272 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: You know, Jeffrey Wright was the original belize in that 273 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:38,479 Speaker 1: back in ninety four, and I went to see that 274 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: on Broadway by myself, and that was a transformative moment 275 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:47,399 Speaker 1: because I didn't understand what I was missing, you know, 276 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: speaking of representation again, you know, I didn't know that 277 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: I was missing seeing a black queer character who was 278 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: not the butt of the joke, who was not the 279 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:09,840 Speaker 1: one to be reviled or murdered, but who was the moral. 280 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 2: Depth and heart of this piece. 281 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: That was very dark and very heavy and very political, 282 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:24,920 Speaker 1: and you know, with a bunch of white people swirling 283 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: around him, he was the one that held it all 284 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 1: together emotionally and spiritually. And so that changed everything because 285 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: up until then my trajectory was not what I wanted 286 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:43,440 Speaker 1: it to be. And then kinky Boots, which was the 287 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: original dream coming true. You know, the creation of an 288 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: iconic character in the canon of. 289 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 2: The Broadway musical that was me, that was developed. 290 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: And written around my skill set that I won the 291 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 1: Tony and Grammy for. 292 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,840 Speaker 2: That was, you know. And inside of that, you know. 293 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: My character, who's a drag queen, drag artist, you know, 294 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:18,120 Speaker 1: has a very not great relationship with his father, and 295 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 1: he actively forgives him in the story. And my relationship 296 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: with both of my fathers was tenuous at best, and 297 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: I had a lot of forgiving to do. And so 298 00:20:38,680 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 1: the act of forgiving, even a fictional character eight shows 299 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: a week for three years, is powerful because our bodies 300 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: actually don't know the difference. That's the hard part about 301 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:55,439 Speaker 1: being an actor and a performer. Our bodies don't know 302 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 1: the difference when we're faking it, but our bodies, in 303 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: our nervous system, still thinks it's this. We have to 304 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: do the work to sort of untangle that emotionally and 305 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 1: spiritually for ourselves. 306 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 2: The third pieces pose because the character of Pretel, the 307 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 2: community that it's dealing with, the timeframe that it exists in, 308 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:21,680 Speaker 2: all of those things. 309 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:28,879 Speaker 1: Are part of what it feels like as an artist 310 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 1: to be in the center of your purpose, calling and ministry. 311 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: Those three pieces were a culmination of really really hard 312 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 1: and focused work and choices that I had made for 313 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: two decades, you know, to get there. 314 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 2: You know, I walked away from the status quo. I 315 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 2: took the road. 316 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: Less traveled because I knew that if I was going 317 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 1: to continue down the trajectory that I was on, I would. 318 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:08,560 Speaker 2: Never be happy. 319 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:11,680 Speaker 3: And it's so interesting because with that comes a lot 320 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 3: of I mean there, you know, there's a reason why 321 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:18,399 Speaker 3: the road less traveled can be lonely sometime. So you know, 322 00:22:18,640 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 3: on the end, it seems like, oh, this is you know, 323 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 3: such a it's a lot of celebrations, but what people 324 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:27,639 Speaker 3: don't really see and understand is all the sacrifices I 325 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 3: think that goes into that, not only when you're doing it, 326 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 3: but I'm sure you know even now. And one of 327 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 3: the things that I've been so curious about is that 328 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,679 Speaker 3: you've been a shining beacon for so many young people 329 00:22:41,200 --> 00:22:46,360 Speaker 3: struggling right to embrace who they are. But being one 330 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 3: of the first black queer men to live I mean 331 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:54,439 Speaker 3: just so boldly and particularly in the spotlight, I know 332 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:55,960 Speaker 3: it comes with intense pressure. 333 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 4: We all we know. 334 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 3: About the pressure that people don't see. Can you can 335 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 3: you just share an experience or what that has been 336 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 3: like for you. 337 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,120 Speaker 1: I want to tell the truth, yep. And I've been 338 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: trying to find ways to tell my truth with an 339 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:19,639 Speaker 1: eye towards the compassionate and the positive. You know, the 340 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 1: most difficult thing for me is being put out by 341 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 1: your own You know, I'm already black, I'm a man, 342 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: I'm black first. But for some reason, inside of this 343 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:41,199 Speaker 1: queer conversation, this queerness conversation, and this intersection with the 344 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 1: black community, it. 345 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:45,679 Speaker 2: Says, if queerness. 346 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 1: Doesn't exist, it is a very we have a very 347 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: homophobic community. 348 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 2: And we've grown and I want to say that too, 349 00:23:57,359 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 2: we've grown there. There has been moved and I'm grateful 350 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 2: for that because I've seen it, because I'm inside of it, 351 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,439 Speaker 2: so I've seen it and I am grateful for that. 352 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 2: But I find that that is the hardest thing for 353 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 2: me on a consistent basis, even with the growth, I'm 354 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 2: hit in the face with it at times. 355 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:26,880 Speaker 1: When I've let my guard down. One of those moments 356 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:29,720 Speaker 1: because you asked for a specific moment. One of those 357 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 1: moments recently was this past June when I was in 358 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:42,239 Speaker 1: DC and I was performing at I was headlining at 359 00:24:42,240 --> 00:24:45,639 Speaker 1: Gay Pride, and then I was invited to the White 360 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: House that Monday morning for a June teenth summit, where 361 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:57,840 Speaker 1: I sat on the dais with lots of very smart, 362 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: intellectual people and we talked about, you know, the work 363 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: that needs to be done, and how are we gonna 364 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 1: transform what we're going through right now and all of that. 365 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: And then I went to the concert on the White 366 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:22,440 Speaker 1: House lawn and just so happened to be sitting, happened 367 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 1: to be placed on the front row next to the 368 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:29,400 Speaker 1: second Gentleman, who was next to the Vice President, who 369 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: was next to the president. 370 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 2: And when they came in, I greeted them all. 371 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: Now, I kissed the hand of President Biden, I kissed 372 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:48,320 Speaker 1: the hand of Vice President Harris. I gave you know, 373 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,880 Speaker 1: the second gentleman a big hug. And the next morning 374 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: they ran a photo of me. Somebody ran a photo 375 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: of me kissing the hand of Joe Biden next to. 376 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 2: A drawing of a slave kissing President Lincoln's hand. The 377 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:17,919 Speaker 2: reason why we can't get anywhere. 378 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 1: And every time there's forward motion and progressive motion, but 379 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: the pendulum swings so. 380 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 2: Far back is because inside of our own communities. 381 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: We're doing that. We're not supporting each other. You know, 382 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:46,959 Speaker 1: it's like, so what are you saying? Once again, what 383 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:51,840 Speaker 1: are you saying? Because tell the truth, you actually aren't mad. 384 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 1: It doesn't make sense that you would be mad that 385 00:26:56,119 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: I'm kissing President Biden's hand next to this, this this 386 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 1: parallel that you're trying to draw, because that drawing was 387 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 1: done in the moment, right, not with three hundred years 388 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: of history or however long it was. 389 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:17,199 Speaker 2: It wasn't done with the history behind it, right. So 390 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 2: that person was happy. 391 00:27:19,359 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 1: That slave was happy that he was emancipated, and he 392 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:27,640 Speaker 1: was literally simply thinking the man who emancipated him. We 393 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:33,120 Speaker 1: pulled Joe Biden out of retirement to come and try 394 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:38,720 Speaker 1: to save democracy, which he and his administration did, and 395 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: I'm grateful for that. Nobody's perfect, nobody does everything right. 396 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: You know, we're not going to agree with everybody on everything. 397 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,919 Speaker 1: But for me, I've been in this long enough to 398 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,919 Speaker 1: know what the motivation is for real, and the motivation 399 00:27:56,400 --> 00:28:04,119 Speaker 1: is that I am a black faggot. 400 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 2: And I use the word on purpose because that's how 401 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 2: violent these responses are to me simply being myself. Right, 402 00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:18,600 Speaker 2: I'm in a sparkly caftan on the front row. 403 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: I'm embarrassing to the black community, not everybody. Let me 404 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: be clear, how dare I have the audacity to be 405 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 1: on the front row, out loud, proud in address. 406 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:44,479 Speaker 2: How dare I? 407 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 3: Is it more anger or hurt? I don't know for you, 408 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 3: like when you yes for you, because yeah. 409 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 2: It's both. It's all of the above, you know, because 410 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 2: I'm out here trying to help everybody. I'm black first, y'all. 411 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 2: Whether y'all want to acknowledge that or not. 412 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: People see me as black first, babies, you know, even 413 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 1: with the queer community. I've had to start going to things. 414 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,400 Speaker 2: And being like, y'all know, I'm black first, though, right, 415 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,479 Speaker 2: I've stand at this intersection, but I'm black first, and 416 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 2: clearly I have to remind you all of that. So 417 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 2: I'm gonna start reminding y'all. 418 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,640 Speaker 3: Well, Mary Martha as a black woman, because that's you know, 419 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 3: we talk about that a lot, you know, you know, 420 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:31,960 Speaker 3: being black and being a woman and kind of all 421 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 3: that that that that that brings. 422 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:37,920 Speaker 4: I'm black, yes, yeah. 423 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 2: All of it. 424 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:43,520 Speaker 8: I'm black first, woman second, and people, but people put 425 00:29:43,560 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 8: it together black woman, and then that has its own, 426 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:47,720 Speaker 8: its own. 427 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:49,960 Speaker 2: Context. 428 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 8: For some people, it's not. It's not separate. But I'm 429 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 8: I'm at a lot of intersections myself. 430 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 2: Mary Martha. 431 00:29:57,320 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 5: Can I ask you a question, And I asked this 432 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 5: gingerly and let me acknowledge the fact that I'm not black, 433 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,360 Speaker 5: and so I asked this seeking to listen and learn. 434 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 5: You have witnessed your brother go through challenges but also 435 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 5: be a hero for so many in black community, but 436 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:17,200 Speaker 5: just in the community large. When you look at him, 437 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 5: you have seen him at the most challenged points of 438 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 5: his life, and you've seen in the most extraordinary points 439 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 5: of his life. What are you most proud of? As 440 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:29,840 Speaker 5: his sister who knows him on an intimate and a 441 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 5: personal level in a way that we never will. But 442 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 5: you have seen the struggles and you've seen the triumphs. 443 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 8: Yes, well the highs. The highs in this business can 444 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 8: be high and the lows can be really low. And 445 00:30:44,320 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 8: what I'm most proud of is how he continues to 446 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 8: get up every day and to show up for his life. 447 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:57,479 Speaker 8: That's what I'm most proud of because that is something 448 00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 8: that I strive for. I can look to him and 449 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 8: I say, he gets up every day and he is 450 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 8: showing up for his life. I too can get up 451 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,680 Speaker 8: every day and show up for my life. It doesn't 452 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:14,800 Speaker 8: matter what people say, even though you know you're human. 453 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 8: And so yes, sometimes the things that people that people 454 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:22,880 Speaker 8: may say or miscategorize you as of course, that's going 455 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:27,360 Speaker 8: to bother you. But he keeps getting up and moving 456 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:29,720 Speaker 8: through it. And that's what's very inspiring. 457 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,280 Speaker 3: Did that kind of help you when you were talking 458 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 3: about having brain surgery and oh yeah, like was that 459 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 3: also something that helped. 460 00:31:39,080 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 4: You get Yes? 461 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:46,400 Speaker 8: Absolutely, absolutely that and that and our mother, our mom 462 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:52,160 Speaker 8: was born with a neurological condition very similar to cerebral palsy, 463 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 8: and she got up every day and showed up for 464 00:31:55,600 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 8: her life. 465 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 6: And so that was also the blueprint for. 466 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,280 Speaker 8: The both of us so that we can continue to 467 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 8: be the people that we are today. 468 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 9: Billy, you've been open about the profound pain you've worked 469 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:12,120 Speaker 9: through in trauma therapy. Where was wondering if you could 470 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 9: tell us a little bit about that and perhaps some 471 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 9: of the meaningful breakthroughs you've had along the way. 472 00:32:16,760 --> 00:32:25,760 Speaker 1: The mental health profession and what they have developed over 473 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: the years to sort of help people heal themselves, heal trauma, 474 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:35,000 Speaker 1: all of those things. It's extraordinary. 475 00:32:35,480 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 2: And I began a very tailored process to my specific 476 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 2: trauma in very specific trauma therapy during COVID. 477 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: In a way that you mean, you know, I keep 478 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 1: saying the world shut down so that I could address 479 00:32:55,880 --> 00:33:00,920 Speaker 1: my trauma for real, you know. And the thing I 480 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 1: learned the most that I still deal with is. 481 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 2: The self compassion component that all of us have to learn. 482 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:24,600 Speaker 1: About for ourselves and for our mental health, self care 483 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 1: and boundaries. 484 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:31,479 Speaker 2: The fact that I didn't even know what that was. 485 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:34,480 Speaker 1: I didn't know what a boundary was, and so I 486 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:39,080 Speaker 1: kept finding myself in relationships, particularly. 487 00:33:40,520 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 2: Romantic relationships with no boundaries. 488 00:33:42,840 --> 00:33:48,800 Speaker 1: Those are the two biggest healing components that I have 489 00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:51,560 Speaker 1: taken away from that, you know, in the practice, in 490 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 1: the everyday practice. 491 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 9: And Mary Martha witnessing billity confronts and to start to 492 00:33:56,680 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 9: heal from such deep trauma must be quite a powerful experience. 493 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 9: What changes have you seen in him since he's begun 494 00:34:03,560 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 9: his own journey of trauma healing. 495 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:11,719 Speaker 6: The self compassion, seeing him learning how to say no. 496 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 8: Billy is such a giver and always wanted to see 497 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:18,240 Speaker 8: everyone win, but sometimes. 498 00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 6: You know when we do that to what end, at 499 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:22,200 Speaker 6: what cost? 500 00:34:22,680 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 8: And so seeing him being able to say to say 501 00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:27,080 Speaker 8: no and to take care of himself. 502 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:32,799 Speaker 5: You're listening to my legacy. More of this inspiring and 503 00:34:32,920 --> 00:35:10,120 Speaker 5: powerful conversation after the break, Welcome back to my Legacy. 504 00:35:10,160 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 5: We have Billy Porter with us, who is always his 505 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:17,600 Speaker 5: authentic self, along with his writer die, his sister Mary Martha. Billy, 506 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:21,880 Speaker 5: you are on the brink of egot status, an elite 507 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 5: group of artists who have won the Emmy, the Grammy, 508 00:35:25,200 --> 00:35:27,960 Speaker 5: the Oscar, and the Tony. You've already run three of those. 509 00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 5: We have no doubt the Oscar is in your future. 510 00:35:30,600 --> 00:35:34,360 Speaker 5: And when you were honored at the most recent Tony Awards, 511 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:36,840 Speaker 5: oh my god, it was amazing to watch you dedicated 512 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 5: it to your mother, of course, who of course passed 513 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 5: away shortly there before. Can you share with us a 514 00:35:44,239 --> 00:35:49,000 Speaker 5: little about your incredible mother and the greatest lesson that 515 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:49,920 Speaker 5: she passed to you. 516 00:35:52,600 --> 00:36:00,880 Speaker 2: Well, like Mary Martha said, you know, she was born 517 00:36:03,480 --> 00:36:06,239 Speaker 2: with a condition that would have put anybody else in 518 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:08,920 Speaker 2: the grave early. 519 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: She wasn't, you know, supposed to be able to probably 520 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:16,719 Speaker 1: not live past thirty, probably not be able to take 521 00:36:16,719 --> 00:36:19,720 Speaker 1: care of herself all of those things, all of that negative, 522 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:25,640 Speaker 1: naysaying stuff, and she found a way to She chose 523 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:32,120 Speaker 1: to get up every day and not take. 524 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:39,920 Speaker 2: Those predictions to heart. 525 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 1: She was also a very religious woman who I watched 526 00:36:56,800 --> 00:37:05,359 Speaker 1: choose an expansion of her mind inside of the doctrines 527 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:13,399 Speaker 1: of religiosity to find the space to love her gay 528 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 1: son unconditionally. Anyway, she was the personification of what true 529 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:30,360 Speaker 1: Christianity means. You know, I'm just forever grateful. You know, 530 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:36,160 Speaker 1: everybody doesn't get that. And it wasn't immediate. You know, 531 00:37:36,200 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 1: we had things to work through, and she did the work. 532 00:37:43,400 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 2: She did the work in a profound, profound way. Yeah, 533 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 2: we miss her a lot. 534 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:04,040 Speaker 3: And you know, my mom passed away five years ago, 535 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:08,200 Speaker 3: and thank you, and I'm sorry for you, Oswals. 536 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:08,879 Speaker 2: It is. 537 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:13,279 Speaker 3: I I I wish I could say it gets e 538 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:19,920 Speaker 3: it gets easier, and even you know, just you know, 539 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,040 Speaker 3: there are times when I still look for her. I 540 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 3: still have her number, you know, on my phone, and 541 00:38:24,719 --> 00:38:27,560 Speaker 3: something happens. One of the first things you I still 542 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 3: wanna do is call my mom. And it sometimes it 543 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:38,360 Speaker 3: it it still hits me, and it particulars around the 544 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,640 Speaker 3: holidays even you know, just the other the other day, 545 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:45,319 Speaker 3: you know, something came on and I just you know, 546 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:48,239 Speaker 3: said and and had a good cry. Well, first of all, 547 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:50,680 Speaker 3: May Angelou said that when your mom is gone, no 548 00:38:50,719 --> 00:38:54,000 Speaker 3: matter what your relationship is with her, one of the 549 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:56,839 Speaker 3: things that is that you will miss her more than 550 00:38:56,880 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 3: you know. And I was incredibly close to my mom 551 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:07,640 Speaker 3: and still miss her more more than I know. And 552 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 3: you all, there's something that you feel untethered, Yes, and 553 00:39:14,239 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 3: especially when someone is such a giver. 554 00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:20,880 Speaker 4: Like my mom just seems like your mom was. 555 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:25,760 Speaker 3: And so, you know, we just I hope that both 556 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,680 Speaker 3: of you all know that there are so many people 557 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 3: around this this nation and the world that are holding 558 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:37,600 Speaker 3: you as you're walking through this journey. You all think 559 00:39:37,680 --> 00:39:38,920 Speaker 3: you all are not alone. 560 00:39:39,440 --> 00:39:44,080 Speaker 2: That's appreciated. Thank you, Mary Martha. 561 00:39:44,120 --> 00:39:48,759 Speaker 7: You've shared that grief is a journey. What have you 562 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:51,759 Speaker 7: learned about, you know, healing and resilience. 563 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:55,560 Speaker 8: I'm still learning. It's a daily it's a daily practice. 564 00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:58,600 Speaker 8: I get up and I say, okay, so what's going 565 00:39:58,680 --> 00:39:59,480 Speaker 8: to happen today? 566 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:01,839 Speaker 2: Will it be? Will it be? 567 00:40:01,920 --> 00:40:04,719 Speaker 8: Looking at I don't know, a cherry pie in the 568 00:40:04,719 --> 00:40:07,120 Speaker 8: grocery store that gets me to remembering my mom and 569 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:08,799 Speaker 8: I burst out in tears and run out. 570 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:13,399 Speaker 6: I'm learning just to take it one day at a time. 571 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:15,279 Speaker 6: That's what I'm doing. 572 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 3: I always said, I it's so wonderful to give people 573 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:18,719 Speaker 3: space and grace. 574 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:23,239 Speaker 8: Space and grace, and one of the things that it's 575 00:40:23,239 --> 00:40:25,640 Speaker 8: so hard to do is to give yourself the space 576 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:29,040 Speaker 8: and grace. It's very easy to give it to other people, 577 00:40:30,000 --> 00:40:33,680 Speaker 8: but what about yourself. That's where that self compassion, that 578 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 8: self compassion comes in. But one thing that I did 579 00:40:36,640 --> 00:40:40,920 Speaker 8: learn and that I've been working on is called the rose, 580 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:43,960 Speaker 8: the thorn, and the bud. And this is what I've 581 00:40:43,960 --> 00:40:46,640 Speaker 8: been working through with my grief, is that I picked 582 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:50,440 Speaker 8: something great that has happened. Then I may say something 583 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:53,280 Speaker 8: that's been on that maybe has gotten on my nerves, 584 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,680 Speaker 8: and then something that I can look forward to. And 585 00:40:55,719 --> 00:40:57,799 Speaker 8: so that's what I do practice on a daily is 586 00:40:57,840 --> 00:40:58,960 Speaker 8: my rose, thorn, and bud. 587 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:03,200 Speaker 3: We used to do that family dinners, yep, every every 588 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 3: night with our daughter Yolanda, like Okay, what is your 589 00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:09,200 Speaker 3: what is the thorn for the day, and what. 590 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,200 Speaker 4: Is the roles? What is what is the gift? 591 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:13,000 Speaker 2: Yes to? 592 00:41:13,320 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 3: So that so we do that we need to get 593 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:16,719 Speaker 3: back to doing that. 594 00:41:16,719 --> 00:41:18,319 Speaker 6: We have to do that with our with our daughter. 595 00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:23,719 Speaker 7: Yeah yeah, Billy uh you your life's work has been 596 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:28,120 Speaker 7: about creating change through art. What's one piece of advice 597 00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:31,680 Speaker 7: you'd give someone looking to make a difference in their 598 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:32,640 Speaker 7: own unique way. 599 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:35,040 Speaker 2: My advice would be that you have to. 600 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:44,640 Speaker 1: Understand who you are, understand what the calling and the 601 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:48,080 Speaker 1: purpose is, and just get up and put one foot 602 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:49,399 Speaker 1: in front of the other and do it every day. 603 00:41:49,600 --> 00:41:52,560 Speaker 1: Tell the truth, you know, and like I said earlier, 604 00:41:52,560 --> 00:41:56,280 Speaker 1: the truth is not always easy. You know, as we've 605 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:59,800 Speaker 1: seen over the last decade, the truth is under attack. 606 00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:03,359 Speaker 1: You know, a lot of people don't want to hear 607 00:42:03,400 --> 00:42:05,240 Speaker 1: the truth. A lot of people don't want the truth 608 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:12,160 Speaker 1: because the truth can be horrifying sometimes and the truth 609 00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:15,520 Speaker 1: will set you free. And a lot of people don't 610 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:16,399 Speaker 1: want to be set free. 611 00:42:17,560 --> 00:42:20,840 Speaker 6: They say they do, but they don't want it. 612 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:28,640 Speaker 1: That was what was so interesting about trauma therapy, you know, 613 00:42:28,800 --> 00:42:30,640 Speaker 1: because trauma therapy is about the truth. 614 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 2: And I wanted to and I want to be set free. 615 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,920 Speaker 2: And then you start the process and you're. 616 00:42:36,840 --> 00:42:41,479 Speaker 3: Like, oh, there's some days you don't want to go back. 617 00:42:42,280 --> 00:42:45,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, in some days that the truth is not, you know, 618 00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:48,640 Speaker 1: not today, not today. 619 00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:51,680 Speaker 5: You're listening to my legacy. 620 00:42:52,040 --> 00:42:52,839 Speaker 2: We'll be right back. 621 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:16,200 Speaker 4: I'm curious too, did you all? Did you. 622 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:22,160 Speaker 3: Because you said that you started trauma therapy during during 623 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:24,960 Speaker 3: COVID SO twenty twenty one. By this time you were 624 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:29,560 Speaker 3: already a very well known and accomplished individual. You could 625 00:43:29,600 --> 00:43:32,520 Speaker 3: have just continue, not continue, but to hide behind you 626 00:43:32,560 --> 00:43:36,440 Speaker 3: know what? Was there anything in particular that made you decide, okay, 627 00:43:36,480 --> 00:43:38,400 Speaker 3: you know this is the time, this is the moment. 628 00:43:38,600 --> 00:43:48,640 Speaker 1: I was in a very toxic marriage. That was a 629 00:43:48,719 --> 00:43:54,239 Speaker 1: pattern that I couldn't seem to break. That was the 630 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:56,280 Speaker 1: initial impulse. 631 00:43:56,320 --> 00:44:02,719 Speaker 2: It's like I got to do better for myself, and 632 00:44:02,800 --> 00:44:03,480 Speaker 2: I don't know. 633 00:44:05,160 --> 00:44:08,080 Speaker 1: How to do that. I don't think I've tried. I 634 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:13,359 Speaker 1: know what the pattern is. I thought I broke sad pattern, 635 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:14,880 Speaker 1: and ultimately I haven't. 636 00:44:17,000 --> 00:44:18,680 Speaker 2: So I may need help. 637 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:23,799 Speaker 1: Because I don't want to stay in this pattern. You know, 638 00:44:24,000 --> 00:44:26,560 Speaker 1: I don't want to keep doing it. The definition of 639 00:44:26,600 --> 00:44:29,160 Speaker 1: crazy is doing the same thing and expecting it. 640 00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:31,919 Speaker 2: I don't want. 641 00:44:32,239 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 1: I you know, I have too much to do on 642 00:44:35,719 --> 00:44:41,400 Speaker 1: this planet to be bound by stupid stuff, or not 643 00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:43,920 Speaker 1: stupid stuff, just the same stuff. Sorry, I don't mean 644 00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:46,960 Speaker 1: to diminish my own self. That's the self compassion part. 645 00:44:47,320 --> 00:44:48,759 Speaker 1: Like I have to stop talking about that. 646 00:44:48,880 --> 00:44:55,600 Speaker 2: It actually is a sorry and that's good. 647 00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:57,719 Speaker 4: See and I love it. There you go. 648 00:44:57,840 --> 00:44:58,600 Speaker 6: That's what it is. 649 00:44:58,680 --> 00:45:03,439 Speaker 3: Practicing it in the moment, Yes, exactly, And that's true 650 00:45:03,480 --> 00:45:10,120 Speaker 3: compassion for yourself. Not expecting the perfection, right, but catching 651 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:15,320 Speaker 3: yourself and acknowledging yes, And that in and of itself 652 00:45:15,400 --> 00:45:18,719 Speaker 3: takes courage. You know, so many of us don't want 653 00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:21,439 Speaker 3: to acknowledge, you know, and and and so to catch 654 00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:25,560 Speaker 3: ourselves like okay, and then and I can choose something different. 655 00:45:25,640 --> 00:45:29,480 Speaker 3: It's very evident during this conversation, Mary Martha, that you 656 00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:33,000 Speaker 3: have and I love that. I'm here for the two names, 657 00:45:33,719 --> 00:45:38,240 Speaker 3: the two names as a love it that. 658 00:45:38,200 --> 00:45:43,960 Speaker 8: It's really three names. Elizabeth, I'm Elizabeth is my middle name. Okay, 659 00:45:44,440 --> 00:45:46,239 Speaker 8: so I'm Mary Martha Elizabeth. 660 00:45:46,600 --> 00:45:47,320 Speaker 2: Oh. Yeah. 661 00:45:48,719 --> 00:45:52,160 Speaker 3: Sometimes when you were you always did your mom always 662 00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:55,319 Speaker 3: say Mary Martha Elizabeth, And you knew then that you 663 00:45:55,360 --> 00:45:56,560 Speaker 3: were in an extra. 664 00:45:57,239 --> 00:45:59,320 Speaker 6: I was in extra trouble if I heard all the names. 665 00:45:59,360 --> 00:46:05,759 Speaker 3: Absolutely, absolutely, well, it's quite evident that you're such a 666 00:46:06,000 --> 00:46:11,000 Speaker 3: steady source of love and strength in your brother's life. 667 00:46:11,280 --> 00:46:14,839 Speaker 3: What would you say is one meaningful way that you 668 00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:19,919 Speaker 3: think we all can uplift our loved ones, giving them 669 00:46:20,040 --> 00:46:24,600 Speaker 3: the space to be exactly who they are, learning how 670 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:26,520 Speaker 3: to love unconditionally. 671 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:34,760 Speaker 6: Without judgment. That's how you get to uplift. Someone else said, Yeah. 672 00:46:34,600 --> 00:46:35,719 Speaker 4: We all just want to be seen. 673 00:46:37,040 --> 00:46:42,319 Speaker 9: That's it, acknowledged, heard, and loved. Billy Well, happiness is 674 00:46:42,360 --> 00:46:46,120 Speaker 9: often seen as the ultimate goal. It doesn't necessarily equate 675 00:46:46,280 --> 00:46:50,719 Speaker 9: to a fulfilled life. Would you believe are the key 676 00:46:50,880 --> 00:46:53,160 Speaker 9: ingredients of living a fulfilled life? 677 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:57,799 Speaker 1: You have to choose yourself. You know, there's no way 678 00:46:57,800 --> 00:47:02,080 Speaker 1: to be happy when you're lying. You know, one must 679 00:47:02,160 --> 00:47:05,520 Speaker 1: choose truth, One must choose yourself. And I know for 680 00:47:05,640 --> 00:47:09,960 Speaker 1: me growing up in the church, you know, one of 681 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:12,799 Speaker 1: the things that was very difficult for me was conflating 682 00:47:14,120 --> 00:47:18,680 Speaker 1: choosing myself with being selfish. Interesting and I think that's 683 00:47:19,160 --> 00:47:23,319 Speaker 1: I think that's being illuminated these days in ways that 684 00:47:24,239 --> 00:47:27,160 Speaker 1: you know, it's like, oh no, actually, because when I 685 00:47:27,200 --> 00:47:32,160 Speaker 1: put my oxygen mask on first, which is a version 686 00:47:32,200 --> 00:47:38,520 Speaker 1: of choosing myself, then I'm actually have more energy and 687 00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:40,560 Speaker 1: more consistency. 688 00:47:42,239 --> 00:47:44,600 Speaker 2: To help others and to give to others. 689 00:47:45,280 --> 00:47:48,880 Speaker 5: To Billy and to Mary Martha, thank you for bringing 690 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:51,120 Speaker 5: just this beautiful energy between the two of you. For 691 00:47:51,120 --> 00:47:52,839 Speaker 5: those who are listening. I love how often you were 692 00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:56,480 Speaker 5: holding each other's hands and leaning into each other's shoulders 693 00:47:56,520 --> 00:47:59,319 Speaker 5: and just being there as siblings in this incredible way. 694 00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:02,520 Speaker 5: And you know, through this episode, I love how much 695 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:05,480 Speaker 5: you've spoken about that unwavering family support that you provided 696 00:48:05,480 --> 00:48:08,160 Speaker 5: for each other. The you know, seeing you get teered 697 00:48:08,239 --> 00:48:10,360 Speaker 5: up when you're talking about your mother, you know, the 698 00:48:10,440 --> 00:48:12,960 Speaker 5: courage to break barriers that she did in her own life. 699 00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:15,799 Speaker 5: And I'm left with these three you know, reflections won 700 00:48:15,880 --> 00:48:18,799 Speaker 5: this importance of self compassion. I love, Billy how you 701 00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:23,080 Speaker 5: talked about setting boundaries, about setting boundaries relationships, setting bundies 702 00:48:23,120 --> 00:48:25,840 Speaker 5: for yourself, and it starts with self putting the oxygen 703 00:48:25,880 --> 00:48:29,200 Speaker 5: mask on first. Second, I love that you talked about 704 00:48:29,320 --> 00:48:35,399 Speaker 5: forgiveness and even finding ways to forgive individuals in unconventional ways. 705 00:48:35,440 --> 00:48:37,279 Speaker 5: As you said, the body doesn't know the difference. When 706 00:48:37,320 --> 00:48:41,080 Speaker 5: you were there eight times a week for multiple years 707 00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:44,239 Speaker 5: forgiving as an actor, but forgiving the father figure and 708 00:48:44,320 --> 00:48:47,200 Speaker 5: what that meant for you and to be free in 709 00:48:47,239 --> 00:48:49,800 Speaker 5: that way. But I had to say the single greatest 710 00:48:49,840 --> 00:48:54,839 Speaker 5: takeaway was authenticity, Like just you've lived your life with authenticity. 711 00:48:54,880 --> 00:48:57,160 Speaker 5: I love when you said you don't mind failing as 712 00:48:57,160 --> 00:48:59,800 Speaker 5: long as you're not failing as somebody else. And I 713 00:49:00,200 --> 00:49:03,919 Speaker 5: love the line You've got to choose yourself, Like, my god, 714 00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:08,960 Speaker 5: I wish everyone and it doesn't matter what your you know, artists, passion, purpose, like, 715 00:49:09,080 --> 00:49:11,319 Speaker 5: just got to choose yourself whatever it ends up being. 716 00:49:12,239 --> 00:49:14,319 Speaker 5: And so I love that you took time to share 717 00:49:14,360 --> 00:49:16,920 Speaker 5: that with us, but mostly I love that you lived it. 718 00:49:17,239 --> 00:49:19,759 Speaker 5: You proved it through your life, like that's how you've 719 00:49:20,160 --> 00:49:23,759 Speaker 5: living your legacy, and in this beautiful conversation, the two 720 00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:25,919 Speaker 5: of you together showing us this path to a more 721 00:49:25,960 --> 00:49:29,799 Speaker 5: fulfilled life. We are grateful to both of you. 722 00:49:30,960 --> 00:49:31,840 Speaker 2: We're grateful to you. 723 00:49:32,200 --> 00:49:40,640 Speaker 3: Thank you for opening the door. I'm sorry that the 724 00:49:40,680 --> 00:49:44,560 Speaker 3: pain that you carried and have to that you went through, 725 00:49:45,440 --> 00:49:49,520 Speaker 3: but my god, I am so grateful and I almost 726 00:49:49,560 --> 00:49:51,239 Speaker 3: can feel I don't I don't know your mom, but 727 00:49:51,280 --> 00:49:54,000 Speaker 3: almost like kind of putting the arms on both of you, 728 00:49:54,080 --> 00:49:54,920 Speaker 3: almost like it's. 729 00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:59,880 Speaker 4: Okay, baby, It's okay baby, and you know we are. 730 00:50:00,080 --> 00:50:05,879 Speaker 3: We're so grateful just for for who you are, who 731 00:50:05,920 --> 00:50:08,520 Speaker 3: both of you all are, in the in this world 732 00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:11,080 Speaker 3: when sometimes you maybe felt that you weren't seen or 733 00:50:11,080 --> 00:50:14,360 Speaker 3: you weren't celebrated, that you continue to move forward and 734 00:50:14,360 --> 00:50:19,359 Speaker 3: you're pushing the envelope and pushing expansion for all of us, 735 00:50:20,160 --> 00:50:20,879 Speaker 3: for all of us. 736 00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:23,160 Speaker 4: And when you get that, Oscar. 737 00:50:25,520 --> 00:50:28,920 Speaker 2: I'll get it. Let me just get a job right now. 738 00:50:29,520 --> 00:50:35,640 Speaker 2: I can pay these bills. Baby. They're nice to look at, 739 00:50:35,760 --> 00:50:37,120 Speaker 2: but I've still got my bill. 740 00:50:39,719 --> 00:50:41,640 Speaker 9: Guys, thank you so much, and we said lots of 741 00:50:41,680 --> 00:50:42,319 Speaker 9: love and lots of. 742 00:50:43,800 --> 00:50:44,239 Speaker 4: So much. 743 00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:47,200 Speaker 1: Thank you, thank you, thank you for seeing me. 744 00:50:47,280 --> 00:50:48,440 Speaker 2: I really appreciate it. 745 00:50:50,120 --> 00:50:51,560 Speaker 4: Thank you for joining us. 746 00:50:51,880 --> 00:50:54,719 Speaker 3: We are so grateful to have you as part of 747 00:50:54,760 --> 00:50:55,480 Speaker 3: this journey. 748 00:50:56,040 --> 00:50:57,720 Speaker 4: If you enjoyed today's. 749 00:50:57,320 --> 00:51:02,000 Speaker 3: Conversation, subscribe and share the pod cast with friends, family, 750 00:51:02,040 --> 00:51:04,960 Speaker 3: and loved ones, and follow us on social media at 751 00:51:05,080 --> 00:51:08,400 Speaker 3: my Legacy Movement. At the heart of this podcast is 752 00:51:08,480 --> 00:51:12,040 Speaker 3: doctor King's vision of the beloved community and the power 753 00:51:12,120 --> 00:51:16,080 Speaker 3: of connection. This podcast is a testament to that vision 754 00:51:16,360 --> 00:51:20,799 Speaker 3: and the product of collective effort, enriched by the voices, stories, 755 00:51:20,920 --> 00:51:25,400 Speaker 3: and support of so many. A Legacy Plus Studio production 756 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:31,719 Speaker 3: distributed by iHeartMedia. Creative and executive producer Suzanne Hayward co 757 00:51:31,800 --> 00:51:36,319 Speaker 3: executive producer Lisa Lyle. My Legacy podcast is available on 758 00:51:36,400 --> 00:51:40,920 Speaker 3: the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Until 759 00:51:40,960 --> 00:51:45,799 Speaker 3: next time, may you find connection and inspiration to live 760 00:51:45,960 --> 00:51:55,080 Speaker 3: your most fulfilled life.