1 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, and she lost her mind and then she went crazy. 2 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: Okay, wait I should introduce. 4 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 2: You, Yes, introduce me what you need I need to do? 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: Okay. My next guest is Emmy Grammy and Tony Award 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: winner Okay, and their next book, Songbird in the Light, 7 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: is out right now. It's Billy Porter. Hi, Hello, how 8 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: are you. I'm fabulous. I'm so happy to be here 9 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:38,879 Speaker 1: with you. 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:40,840 Speaker 2: I'm so happy you're here. I've been such a fan 11 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: for a really long time. Thank you. 12 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: Likewise, truly, truly and honestly just reading the bio when 13 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 1: I said we need the. 14 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 2: O, Yes, we do need the Oh, let's get the O. 15 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 1: It's no rush, right, No, I'm not rushing. 16 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, after after the last year of my life, I'm 17 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 3: not rushing about anything anymore. 18 00:00:57,680 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: What happened in the last year. 19 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 3: So I had sepsis last year. 20 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 2: I don't know if you know that. I did not 21 00:01:04,160 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 2: know that I had sepsis last year. 22 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 3: In August started with a urinary infection in England when 23 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 3: I was starting as the MC making my West End 24 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 3: debut in Cabaret, Okay, Candor and Ebbs Cabaret, and then. 25 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,119 Speaker 2: You know, I got a urinary infection. 26 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 3: And you know, I love London and their medication is trash. 27 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 1: Listen about getting medicine in Europe, but you can't get anything. 28 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: I got burnt on the forehead by a hairstylist in September, 29 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:42,119 Speaker 1: and I was like, I need some neosporing so they 30 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,200 Speaker 1: don't star if we don't have that. You need a 31 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: prescription for neospor and of course, like whatever the equivalent is, 32 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: and they're like, no, because it has an antibiotic in it, 33 00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: you need perscription. 34 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 4: I'm like for neosporin, right, and so so ten weeks 35 00:01:56,680 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 4: and four rounds of week ass ANIMI later it was 36 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 4: a kidney infection with kidney stones. 37 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 2: This is April then and only then did they give. 38 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 3: Me the strongest stuff that they had at the time. Yeah, 39 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 3: and it seemed to have gone away. Fast forward to August. 40 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 3: I'm doing Cabaret here. I'm in my fourth week. Maricha 41 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,880 Speaker 3: Wallace and I three black people in the leads of 42 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 3: this musical that has never had black people telling, you know, 43 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 3: our version of the Holocaust story because we were there too, 44 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 3: and it was you know, I was really I felt 45 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 3: really like in my purpose and in the kidney stone 46 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 3: pain came back and turns out the kidney stone was 47 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: stuck at my urethra. There was so much old backed 48 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 3: up bile and infection that had not been dealt with 49 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 3: that when they put the stint in to do the 50 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 3: routines procedure to like redirect the urine and blasphemy with American. 51 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 2: Animals, okay, to get it gone. 52 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, it bubbled up and went into my bloodstream. Oh, 53 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 3: and I went euro sceptic. I was on Echmo for 54 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 3: three days. I checked myself in onto Tuesday night. I 55 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 3: woke up on a Saturday night compartment syndrome in my 56 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 3: leg where the muscles sort of you know, turning on 57 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 3: themselves and cut off the circulation. They had to give 58 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 3: me a fasci art of me and cut me on 59 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 3: both sides of my calf and then from my knee 60 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: to my hip. 61 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: It's been crazy. I'm still healing. 62 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a slow process. I'm so grateful to be 63 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 3: alive and I'm slowly getting back on the horse. 64 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: I'm grateful you're here. I'm grateful you're alive. Crazy. 65 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 3: It was really really crazy and something that makes you go, wow, 66 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 3: it's I never I've never thought about death a lot. 67 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 3: I grew up in the Pentecostal church. 68 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 2: You know, we were exposed to death. 69 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 3: Death is going home, you know, homegoing going, blah blah whatever. 70 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: You know. 71 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,800 Speaker 3: I was looking at caskets at five, open caskets at five, 72 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,720 Speaker 3: Like I don't have a fear like that, Like I 73 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 3: have a relationship with Yeah, that's what. 74 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 2: But I never thought about it. 75 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 3: And the fact that I I think more now about 76 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 3: my mortality and what am I doing right now? 77 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: Then? 78 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 3: You know, how am I showing up even more grounded 79 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 3: and more present than I've been before? 80 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 2: You know? So I'm grateful to be here. 81 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm so grateful. I ask you, what is so just? 82 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 2: Oh? 83 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 3: The ECMO machine is essentially the new life support machine. Okay, 84 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 3: I was on life support all of my organs that 85 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: shut down. 86 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 2: Right for three days? It was crazy. 87 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, So to be I am so grateful that you 88 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: are here. I'm grateful you're here with me now. And 89 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: you say you are so much more present and try 90 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 1: to be grounded when you enter a space. What kinds 91 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 1: of things do you do to ground yourself day to day? 92 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 3: Well, I'm a big fan of a book called The 93 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 3: Artist's Way. 94 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 1: I have it on my Shelf. 95 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 3: By Julia Cameron. Take it off your shelf and do it. Okay, 96 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 3: I did it in two thousand. I did the business 97 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,600 Speaker 3: version in twenty ten. I did it again last year. 98 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 3: There's one thing that I take from it all the time, 99 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 3: which are the morning pages. It's sort of very similar 100 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 3: to journaling. You're supposed to write three pages long hand 101 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 3: every day, stream of consciousness, no judgment on anything or anything. 102 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 3: I type them now because I've been doing it for 103 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 3: so long that my mind body connection is. 104 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 2: And there as if I were writing. But that grounds me. 105 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 2: You know. 106 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,400 Speaker 3: My mom passed a couple of years ago, and she 107 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,880 Speaker 3: was Pentecostal, and the day we put her in the ground, 108 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 3: I became Buddhist. 109 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: Oh, because you said, Mommy's not here anymore, because. 110 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 3: Had I put her through enough, you know, being gay 111 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 3: and refusing to go in the closet and being who 112 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: you know they put her through. So, you know, Church 113 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 3: first put her through so much. I was like, I'm 114 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: not gonna put her through another thing. 115 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, you said, I'm not going to tell her I'm 116 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: not Christian no more. I'm Buddhist. 117 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 2: I let her die before I became Buddhist. 118 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 3: The day they literally they put her on the ground. 119 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 3: And my sister's best friend is a Buddhist, and I 120 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 3: was like, come here. And so I've been slowly trying to, like, 121 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 3: you know, figure. 122 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 2: Out what that is. And I really love the meditation. 123 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 2: I love I just love the tenets. 124 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 3: It's just it's like we're just here to be present, 125 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 3: We're here to be available, the releasing of permanence, everything 126 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 3: being impermanent and releasing everything so you don't suffer. You know, 127 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,960 Speaker 3: it's not what happens, it's our response to it that 128 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 3: causes us to suffer so greatly. And so I've been 129 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 3: trying to practice that a little bit more and not 130 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 3: suffer so much because we. 131 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: Do bring on a lot of our own suffering because 132 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: we want things to be different. 133 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 3: We want things to be different as opposed to this 134 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 3: is what it is. 135 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 2: Let's be right where we are. You know. 136 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: You see, I'm Christian, but I read a lot of Buddhists. 137 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: Well I'm Christian too, I'm a Christian Buddhists. 138 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: I'm Christian Buddhists. 139 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: Absolutely, yeah, yeah, I read a lot of have you 140 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: read you are here? 141 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 2: Han? No, But I'm gonna get it. Okay, you get it. 142 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 2: I'll read the artist's way, get it off the shelf. 143 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: I do morning pages, by the way you do, because 144 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: my therapist suggested it years ago. But I don't, you know, 145 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: I don't think she mentioned to me it was a 146 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: thing from. 147 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 2: The artist way. 148 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: I think like years later I heard someone say it 149 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: was from the artist's way. But I do a page 150 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: stream of consciousness. But it's so fascinating because my I 151 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: can't write fast enough for how my brains. Yeah, my brain. 152 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, I'm already onto the grocery list and 153 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,200 Speaker 1: oh and oh what a beautiful light my morning page. 154 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 2: I think I have it. We are artists. 155 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: We all have I'm over here diagnosing myself every day 156 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: with something new. It's really crazy. 157 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 3: Ipist about three months ago, maybe a bit more, I 158 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 3: was like, do you think I'm ADHD? And she did 159 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 3: a spit take. She just she had just taken some 160 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 3: drank some water and she did a spit take. 161 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,199 Speaker 1: It was like, Billy, do I think you're a d 162 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:01,679 Speaker 1: h D? 163 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: You are the poster child? 164 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: Like okay, okay, right, you know, I I just my 165 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: friend told me. She well, she let chat GPT diagnose 166 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: her recently, which. 167 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 2: Is we ain't doing chat GBT right now? 168 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: Why are we not doing it? 169 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 2: I don't do it at all? But why, boy? Tell 170 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 2: me why? 171 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 3: Because they find ice Trump, we're boycotting them. 172 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: Okay, and that is good to know. 173 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 3: You hear you heard they get off the phone. There 174 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 3: are other places. 175 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 2: There ap for chat GPT. Yeah there's an app. What 176 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 2: year do I live in? No more chat GBT? Go 177 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 2: to other places until they get their stuff together. Can 178 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 2: we cuss on here? 179 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 1: You can cuss, you could do it, so we get 180 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: that till they get that ship together. Okay, you heard 181 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:49,959 Speaker 1: of you know what to do? 182 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:50,839 Speaker 2: Get off of there. 183 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 1: You say there's other places. I'm so behind. I'm not 184 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: still on Google. 185 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 2: Okay, me too, i google everything. I'm still on Google. 186 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 2: I'm on Google as well. There's for the moment, I mean, is. 187 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 1: Any very few places a part and that exactly Let's 188 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:10,320 Speaker 1: be honest about that. 189 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 3: And that's the hard part about now what does this 190 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 3: what does our activism look like in this new world order? 191 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 3: You know, when I think about the old days, the 192 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 3: Birmingham bus boycop was what eighteen months or something, not 193 00:10:26,080 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 3: one afternoon for no kings every four months, no shade. Okay, 194 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 3: but like we've become so our lives have become. 195 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: So convenient, our lives are very. 196 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 3: That like, we don't even know what it's like to 197 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 3: get up and go to a store anymore. 198 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 2: And then the. 199 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 3: Stores that are available, I was, I was doing this 200 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 3: the other day. The stores that are available, Well, where 201 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 3: do I get a step ladder? 202 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 2: Yeah? 203 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 3: Target, Walmart or Amazon like those of Its true, it's 204 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 3: like where do we eat? Where do we even begin 205 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 3: the process to try to extract ourselves from this billionaire 206 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 3: takeover culture. 207 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 2: It's yeah, very difficult. It's challenging. 208 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: And I thought you were going to mention when you 209 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: go to a store, because I'll go for like basic 210 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 1: toiletries to CBS and everything's locked up, and then I 211 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: gotta page the employee on. 212 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 2: The machine a fever. 213 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 1: I know, but I'm like, but also, it's cheaper, labor 214 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: less people to have to be in lost prevention. And 215 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: so I'm pushing the button. I'm pushing the button, but 216 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 1: then so is everyone on every aisle and it's just 217 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: one man running around with a key. I feel very 218 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,720 Speaker 1: bad for them, and I'm like, this is not I 219 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: just wanted to pop in and get toothpaste. And now 220 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 1: it's a ten minute, yes, an hour an hour. 221 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 2: For some toothpaste. 222 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 1: So then for convenience, you're like, or do I just 223 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: get it on Amazon? I still haven't gotten toothpaste on Amazon. 224 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: But I do not eat it. 225 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:58,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, there's some things I. 226 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 2: Will get my espresso pa, you like minspresso, butts. 227 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 1: I don't drink coffee. You don't, not really, I've had it. 228 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:05,800 Speaker 1: Let me be clear. So if somebody sees me out 229 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: in the while with the coffee, be like that bitch 230 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: ordered coffee for me. I don't really drink it, like 231 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:11,200 Speaker 1: it is rare. 232 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,839 Speaker 2: Because you don't need it a little bit of that. 233 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: But also, I never wanted to be addicted to something, 234 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,199 Speaker 1: but now I think I'm addicted to macha, which is. 235 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 2: The same thing. 236 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:23,880 Speaker 1: I know, but it started as a ritual, which I'm 237 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: sure coffee did for me. People me on my high horse. 238 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: I don't drink coffee. I don't drink coffee, but I 239 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: do drink macha every day. This is a mancha right here. 240 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 1: But it's mostly fool. See, I'm not addicted. I'm not tweaking, 241 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 1: but I there's just certain things that I'm like, you know, 242 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna I'm not gonna get that that thing 243 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: on the internet. You gotta go be with the people, right, 244 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: you understand. 245 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 2: I like going to the store. I go to the 246 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 2: grocery store. I did not get my groceries delivered. 247 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 1: I go every day. 248 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 3: I go almost every day because it's right down the 249 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 3: street and I could order for for. 250 00:12:58,600 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 2: A couple of days. 251 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 3: I can buy for a couple of days, as opposed 252 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 3: to what I used to do where I came from. 253 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 3: You know, I learned how to cook from my grandmother, 254 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 3: my mom, my great aunt. There were decades that I 255 00:13:10,400 --> 00:13:12,959 Speaker 3: just really didn't know how to cook for more than 256 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,319 Speaker 3: for less than fifteen people. Yeah, so I was always 257 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 3: overbuying and always overcooking. And then I found the the 258 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 3: Hello Fresh. 259 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: I thought you would say blue April. 260 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 2: Okay, yes, April Fresh. 261 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 3: I've tried them all, yes, and now I understand, Oh, 262 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 3: if I'm cooking for myself, this is the portion I 263 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 3: need to buy. So I've learned how to buy the 264 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 3: portions now for what I want to cook. But I 265 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 3: always go unless I'm getting one of those boxes. Yeah, 266 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 3: I always go to the grocery. 267 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: I stay in the grocery store on Sunday. I went 268 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,319 Speaker 1: twice on one day. I was there the day before 269 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:49,480 Speaker 1: and the day before that. And I was on the 270 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 1: phone as I was approaching the checkout line, and I 271 00:13:51,640 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: said to my friend, I'm like, I need to check 272 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: out at the store. Yeah, I'm here all the time. 273 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: I get off with her, and then the cashier was like, 274 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:01,199 Speaker 1: who wrung me up earlier in the day, like hours before. 275 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: He was like, I'm here all the time. To shit, 276 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 1: I was like, we. 277 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 2: Should switch places. I should get paid to be here. 278 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 2: I'd just be up here, Like what else do I want? 279 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:11,800 Speaker 2: What else in this moment? 280 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,760 Speaker 1: In this moment, and because the grocery store is too close. 281 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: But what I was gonna say about the coffee thing, 282 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,680 Speaker 1: right is that I bought an espresso machine from my 283 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: guests for my house guests, because all my house guests, 284 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: everybody drinks coffee. So I'm like, I don't I don't 285 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: know how to make I think I learned how to 286 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: make it this in December. I think I know how 287 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: to do a single cup. I don't know how to 288 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: do the machine in the pot. But for the espresso, no, no, 289 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: an espresso a regular like a regular call coffee maker, 290 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: I don't know. But I got an espresso Black Friday sale. 291 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 1: It was from Target, but it was also like fifteen 292 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: years no, ten years ago, ten years ago. But got 293 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:54,520 Speaker 1: an espresso, and no one wanted to drink. No one 294 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,120 Speaker 1: liked it. So I'm surprised you liked an espresso. Everyone 295 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: was like, I can get this was honest. I'm gonna 296 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 1: say more like eight of years ago. 297 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 3: Yeah, espresso is luxury, honey. Okay, espresso will make you 298 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 3: a luxury cup. Okay of coffee. You press that button, 299 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 3: it's like somebody is at the coffee place doing the 300 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 3: things that the little foam comes out on. 301 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 2: Top of it a little bit. 302 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 3: Okay, it's rich, it's dark, it's flavorful. 303 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: Get new friends, it's good. 304 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 2: They like that. Swell. They like that. Brought her down 305 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 2: swell the real themselves. I got, like you like that one. 306 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 2: They probably like it now? 307 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, because I was, I thought I had done 308 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 1: something good with my Black frid. 309 00:15:47,600 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 3: You did do something, thank you, and I will come over, 310 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 3: come over and have some of that. 311 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 2: I got rid of it. 312 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:59,200 Speaker 1: I got rid of I was like, nobody's gonna drink it. 313 00:15:59,280 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: I don't drink so and now I have a whole 314 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: macha setup I've been most excited about. 315 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 2: Like, yeah, I'm very excited. I have an electric kettle. 316 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: I was doing old school kettle up until like a 317 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: month and a half ago. I decided to come to 318 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six with. 319 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 2: The tea very Nigerian, you know what I'm talking about? 320 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 2: And I do know. 321 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 3: I'm black, so oh black American, We're very similar. 322 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,480 Speaker 2: Oh we are. I mean, listen, I was packing. 323 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,120 Speaker 1: I was packing somewhere to go somewhere, and I had 324 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,239 Speaker 1: a friend over and I had a bunch of suitcases. 325 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: And this is in a New York City apartment, but 326 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 1: I had them like tucked away in all kinds of 327 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: places and they were big ass suitcases. And my friend 328 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: looked at me and said, and you just might be Nigerian. 329 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: I am, I am, I am. 330 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 2: You know what gorgeous face to prove it? Oh? 331 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: Thank you? 332 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 2: Really? 333 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: Really, I have to ask you, I'm supposed to ask 334 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 1: you this so early. Who or what do you want 335 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: to say thanks to? 336 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 3: I want to say thanks to God in the universe, 337 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:15,240 Speaker 3: whatever one believes in or doesn't. 338 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 2: Believe in, for. 339 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 3: Sparing my life and giving me more time to do 340 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:34,400 Speaker 3: what I was put on this earth. 341 00:17:34,440 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 2: To do. 342 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 3: You know, so many of us who are called, and 343 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 3: I believe that being an artist is a calling. I 344 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 3: came from the church, so I add ministry. This is 345 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 3: my ministry. 346 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 2: You know. 347 00:17:54,359 --> 00:18:02,639 Speaker 3: I have watched so many of my heroes, you know, 348 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 3: really burnt out so early. And because it's a lot, 349 00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:17,160 Speaker 3: and I'm grateful, excuse me cut that out. 350 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: But you know what, this is an imperfect podcast. 351 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:22,160 Speaker 2: Perfect belching. 352 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: Everyone says, Okay, we leave the coughs and the clearings 353 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: of throat, my guys, this is real life over here. 354 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 2: Okay. 355 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:41,440 Speaker 3: You know, like I said, I've I've watched so many 356 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 3: of my heroes. 357 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 2: Burnout so early. Mhmm, and way before. 358 00:18:54,520 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 3: I believed that they should have been finished. 359 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:06,400 Speaker 2: I also lived through the age crisis. I'm fifty six 360 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 2: years old. You know. 361 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 3: I came out in nineteen eighty five and we went 362 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:14,360 Speaker 3: straight to the front lines to fight for our lives. 363 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 2: I've had a lot of loss. 364 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 3: In my life at very early ages, and I am 365 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 3: so grateful. 366 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 2: To be alive. And that is my diabetes monitor. 367 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:33,160 Speaker 1: That's your diabetes mind. 368 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: On this imperfect part. 369 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: It's an imperfect podcast. 370 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 2: So what does it do? You bring me my purse? Please? 371 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 1: Bring Billy so I could turn your phone off. Let'snia okay, 372 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: and that's your not done, and then we'll keep that. 373 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 2: We'll keep that. 374 00:19:49,400 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: Me giveing editing notes now so that I don't have to. 375 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 2: Do that later. Y'all don't have to call me when 376 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:56,440 Speaker 2: you're editing. We don't have to cut that all out. 377 00:19:56,520 --> 00:19:58,640 Speaker 1: Just could have trim the moment down it it seem 378 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: like it was a quickie. Yeah, okay, but please continue. 379 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: Do you remember where you were? 380 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:05,000 Speaker 2: So I'm grateful that. 381 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 3: I have more time. I'm grateful for this last year 382 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:26,719 Speaker 3: that has been so challenging, and I've been working on 383 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,679 Speaker 3: the effects of it right now in terms of. 384 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 2: How much breaking down of my ego that I still 385 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 2: have to deal with. 386 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 3: You know, I'm always on my self help my you know, 387 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 3: I'm always trying to make myself better spiritually and emotionally. 388 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:53,640 Speaker 2: And you know, I never felt my age until now. 389 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:56,400 Speaker 1: Where you feel like, oh, I'm fifty six. 390 00:20:56,480 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 2: For real, I'm fifty six. 391 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 3: You know, my whole brand is how fabulous I am 392 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 3: and how elegant I. 393 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 2: Am and all of those things. 394 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:11,919 Speaker 3: And one of those very specific things is that you know, 395 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,359 Speaker 3: every so often I'll put on a pump, a heel, 396 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,640 Speaker 3: a Rick Owens eight inch eight and a half inch 397 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 3: platform boot, and I can't do that right now. 398 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 2: And to be faced with, ooh. 399 00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 3: Okay, I'm good and everything I'm feeling right now doesn't 400 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:42,119 Speaker 3: have anything to do with my nothing to do with 401 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 3: anything but my ego. 402 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 2: This is the next level of me breaking. 403 00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:51,639 Speaker 3: That down so that I can continue to be the 404 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 3: vessel that I'm supposed to be. 405 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: Yes, And it's beautiful that you recognize that that that's 406 00:21:56,840 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 1: what the process is right now, and that's beautiful to wreck. 407 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 2: Thank you. I'm I'm I'm about to do. 408 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 3: Lakajha Foe for Encores at City Center this June during 409 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 3: Pride Month, and that musical I realize I've been doing 410 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:21,360 Speaker 3: some work on it. I'm like, oh, you know, he's aging. 411 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:24,120 Speaker 3: He's an aging drag queen. 412 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 2: He's not Lola from Kinky Boots. 413 00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 3: He's not in his prime. Like there's space for that too, 414 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:49,679 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. And I've had to go, oh, wow, okay, okay, 415 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:53,800 Speaker 3: this is where I am. 416 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 2: And it's great. It's actually great. You know. 417 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 3: I was, I was, I was going, what a why 418 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:03,479 Speaker 3: am I playing another drag queen? I don't know that, 419 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 3: and I was not excited about it for a while. 420 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:09,399 Speaker 3: I was doing it because it's a dream role for 421 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:13,719 Speaker 3: me that I've had since I was younger, you know, 422 00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:16,399 Speaker 3: back when they weren't casting black people in any of 423 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 3: these kinds of classic pieces. And so once again I'm getting, 424 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 3: you know, from Cabaret to this to you know, I've 425 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:31,879 Speaker 3: had several moments where I've been able to realize these. 426 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 2: Dreams. But I was like, drag queen, what am I? 427 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 3: And then I went and did a vocal session to 428 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 3: try to figure out what keys I'm gonna sing everything, 429 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:46,280 Speaker 3: and and the first line of my first song is. 430 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 2: Once again. 431 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:54,359 Speaker 3: I'm a little depressed at the tired old face that 432 00:23:54,480 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 3: I see. M m hmm. It's like, ooh, this is 433 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:11,400 Speaker 3: what I'm going through right now. This couldn't be more 434 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:14,199 Speaker 3: perfect right now, It couldn't be more perfect for me 435 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 3: from my healing, from my journey. 436 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 2: But also. 437 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:26,679 Speaker 3: To the world right now. This is a different billy 438 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 3: from what you've been used to. This is different. 439 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:43,679 Speaker 1: Aside from older how is this billy different? 440 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 5: Oh? 441 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:46,719 Speaker 2: You asked the good questions. 442 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 6: Go. 443 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 2: I feel like I'm even more present. 444 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,920 Speaker 3: And I've always been, but I'm even more present now, 445 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:16,640 Speaker 3: and I feel like the fight for it's not attention. 446 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,120 Speaker 3: I get attention, it's not attention. What is the word 447 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 3: I'm looking for? 448 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:22,560 Speaker 1: Is it adoration? 449 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 2: No, it's not adoration. The fight for. 450 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 3: Respect, the fight to not be pigeonholed, you know, the 451 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:46,840 Speaker 3: fight to try to wrestle people into understanding that I'm 452 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:52,920 Speaker 3: a very serious person and fabulous and serious coexists. That 453 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 3: fight that I have, that's gone. 454 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 2: I'm not fighting. I'm not fighting no more. 455 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:08,240 Speaker 1: Why Yeah, like that? That sounds exhausting, Yes, right, So 456 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: is that why you're done with that? 457 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, I don't. 458 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 3: I just don't have the energy. I mean literally physically, 459 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:23,199 Speaker 3: I do not have the energy to fight any of 460 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 3: that anymore. 461 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 2: I Am what I Am. 462 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:30,760 Speaker 3: That's the main song from from Lukasha Foe. That song 463 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:32,920 Speaker 3: comes from Lukasha Foe, and I get to sing it. 464 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 3: I am what I am. I am my own special creation. 465 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:42,600 Speaker 3: Do with that what you will. But I'm not fighting. 466 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 2: Y'all know more about it. You know. 467 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:50,639 Speaker 3: I'm not making you know, I'm not defending myself for 468 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 3: anything anymore, you know. 469 00:26:53,040 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 2: And my my mantra. 470 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 3: On the social media's the information super Highway. I like 471 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,160 Speaker 3: to say, because I'm old enough to remember what it was. 472 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:09,240 Speaker 2: Called that superb that I'm not that all. 473 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:21,720 Speaker 3: Okay, So when we started, when all of this mess started, 474 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 3: it was called the information super Highway, So I like 475 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 3: to throw that in. You know, sometimes said you. 476 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 2: Old bitch, do you remember, because I know black go correct? 477 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 2: But I see you. I promise you no, I believe it. 478 00:27:39,359 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 2: I believe it. But when I. 479 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:46,200 Speaker 3: It's like my mantra is, I do not now, nor 480 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 3: will I ever adjudicate my life or humanity in sound 481 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 3: bites on social media, and I will forever be that 482 00:27:56,359 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 3: person now reality speaking, social media, the internet has taken 483 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,160 Speaker 3: over everything so much, to the point in such a 484 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:12,359 Speaker 3: toxic way that like, if somebody says something about you 485 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:21,760 Speaker 3: and you don't have any response to it, then your 486 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:26,480 Speaker 3: narrative lands in the hands of somebody else. 487 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:28,400 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, and. 488 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 3: So how do we You know, I've been really working 489 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,199 Speaker 3: on how do I do that? 490 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 1: I joined substack so you get to tell your own 491 00:28:41,200 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 1: story on substack. 492 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:48,040 Speaker 3: Because substack is long form, and I'm long form. I'm 493 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:52,360 Speaker 3: verboth I write, I talk, you know, and it's like 494 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:56,520 Speaker 3: it's not about me defending myself because that's not the goal. 495 00:28:57,160 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 3: I'm not defending myself about anything, but to be able 496 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:01,760 Speaker 3: to just. 497 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 2: Be in a place that has not yet turned toxic. 498 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 2: I know, I know. 499 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: It's that's the that's the very appealing part of substack. 500 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: There's so much social media, but I'm like, it feels 501 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 1: pure over here. 502 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:21,840 Speaker 3: Well, it feels adult. I call it the maturing of 503 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 3: social media because the ratchet trash ain't over there because 504 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 3: they're not smart enough to be. 505 00:29:30,040 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 2: You know, It's like Don Lemon got fired from CNN 506 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 2: and he went there. Yeah, Joy Reid got fired from MSNBC. 507 00:29:38,120 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 2: She went over there. 508 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 3: All the and many, if not all, of the independent 509 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 3: journalists who are being released for telling the truth and 510 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 3: speaking truth to power and holding people accountable who are 511 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 3: being fired for. 512 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 2: That right now, are going over there. 513 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 3: You can poss you can essay, you can do your 514 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:04,560 Speaker 3: television show. 515 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:06,720 Speaker 2: Don limit does this television show every day. 516 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 3: I think it's twice a day. I think he does 517 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 3: something at ten and something at five. Joy Reid has 518 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 3: a Joy Reid show. 519 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 2: Shoe. 520 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 3: I watched that shit yesterday. It was two hours and 521 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:22,520 Speaker 3: seventeen minutes, and I was like, yes, and so I'm 522 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 3: just beginning the process. I've only posted two essays, but 523 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 3: like it feels like a space that has given me 524 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 3: breath back. Because the Internet suffocates me. 525 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 2: I don't like it at all. 526 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 3: And the only reason why I'm there is because I'm 527 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:45,280 Speaker 3: in show at all. Is because I'm in show business, 528 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:50,000 Speaker 3: and that is a tool that is still necessary for me. 529 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:54,640 Speaker 2: You know, I'm not I don't have fuck you money. 530 00:30:56,120 --> 00:30:59,160 Speaker 4: Awards do not pay the bills. 531 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 2: I need to get jobs. 532 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:03,400 Speaker 3: I got all the awards in the world, and I 533 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 3: love them all and I'm grateful for all of them. 534 00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 2: They do not pay the bills. And as artists, I 535 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 2: try to explain to people we are freelance. 536 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 3: Every time a job ends, we have to go out 537 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 3: and get another one. Nobody lives their life like that, 538 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:30,840 Speaker 3: but artists, you know. And so for my sanity, I 539 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:33,760 Speaker 3: am grateful to Substack. Now, I just gotta build. I 540 00:31:33,760 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 3: gotta build my little audience because you know, yeah, well. 541 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:37,880 Speaker 2: Listen, Billy's on substacks. 542 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 3: So Billy's on substack, and I'm telling the truth, honey, 543 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 3: you know, you know I tell the truth. 544 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: I call people out my. 545 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 2: Name, you know, I'm at the I will give I 546 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:56,560 Speaker 2: call people by name yes, not always. 547 00:31:57,200 --> 00:32:01,320 Speaker 1: I give enough information to people can figure. 548 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 3: It out this and then if something doesn't change, then 549 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 3: I start calling out names like. 550 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:09,320 Speaker 2: Now, Marjorie Taylor Green, you are not a fucking hero. 551 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna argue against periods, all of these people 552 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: who are now coming out at the end of the earth. 553 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:30,320 Speaker 3: When you people sat and watched this happen. Why because 554 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 3: it was never gonna affect you. 555 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 1: Yet it was never going to affect you. 556 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 3: Whatever you did, and whatever he did was never going 557 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 3: to affect you. 558 00:32:40,400 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 2: It still doesn't affect you. I don't want to hear 559 00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:48,680 Speaker 2: nothing from any of those people. It's lovely. 560 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:53,600 Speaker 3: I went with Jane Fonda, you know, okay, so here 561 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:56,680 Speaker 3: I said in the hospital room, I'm off the front lines. 562 00:32:56,760 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 3: I was there for a month, you know, because I've 563 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 3: been on the front line time sixteen. I'm off the 564 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:05,640 Speaker 3: front line. I'm not doing the front lines anymore. You know. 565 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 3: I'm gonna be a consultant. I'm not gonna be on 566 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:11,000 Speaker 3: the front lines no more. That lasted for about two 567 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,080 Speaker 3: and a half minutes, and then Jane Fonda called me. 568 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 2: I did the football movie with her. Was eighty for Brady. 569 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 3: I did eighty for Brady for and she knows that 570 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:22,520 Speaker 3: I'm like, you know, political and stuff. 571 00:33:22,600 --> 00:33:25,080 Speaker 2: So she called me to do this thing down at the. 572 00:33:27,240 --> 00:33:34,440 Speaker 3: UH in front of the Kennedy Center for the Committee 573 00:33:34,480 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 3: for the First Amendment. You know, I was like, Okay, 574 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 3: I'll go do that. Then reven Al called me to 575 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 3: give me the President's Award at NAN last week, the 576 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:49,240 Speaker 3: National Action Network last week, you know, because I'm black 577 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,200 Speaker 3: and I'm gay and I'm out and that's still a thing, 578 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:54,480 Speaker 3: you know. 579 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 2: And I love. 580 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 3: Revenue Al for understanding that nobody's free unless we're all free. 581 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:09,279 Speaker 3: I don't care what you believe. I don't care what 582 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:14,439 Speaker 3: your doctrines, your Black church doctrine say. That isn't even 583 00:34:14,520 --> 00:34:19,320 Speaker 3: our religion. It's not even ours. It's our colonizers. 584 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 2: You know. I don't. And so he called. 585 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:28,799 Speaker 3: And I may have you know what, I wrote a 586 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:31,720 Speaker 3: really nice I'm not on the front line speech. 587 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:35,319 Speaker 2: Okay, but I'm here, by the way. 588 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 3: No, but like I'm not. I didn't say I wasn't 589 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:39,680 Speaker 3: on the front lines. But it wasn't like. 590 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:44,759 Speaker 2: It was like, thank you, I'm so grateful, God, bless y'all. 591 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 3: All. 592 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:48,000 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, we have work to do 593 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:49,719 Speaker 2: and then. 594 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:55,000 Speaker 3: Easter Sunday happened, and that bitch said he was going 595 00:34:55,040 --> 00:35:01,160 Speaker 3: to destroy a civilization. And I said, oh yeah, and 596 00:35:01,160 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 3: and I. 597 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 7: Rewrote my speech and I got up there and I 598 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 7: was like, I'm just gonna say the speech. 599 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:17,759 Speaker 3: But you know, there's a calling on my life, and 600 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:21,319 Speaker 3: this is my ministry. And while I don't stand in 601 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:26,799 Speaker 3: the poolpit every week to preach traditionally, there is. 602 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 2: A bishop in me. There is a bishop. And miss 603 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 2: Queen Honey. 604 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 3: And baby I got up and I don't know what happened. 605 00:35:44,040 --> 00:35:46,800 Speaker 3: I do know what happened, and all of a sudden, 606 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:49,720 Speaker 3: it was like everybody just started. 607 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:53,840 Speaker 2: It was like we were at church. 608 00:35:54,400 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 8: If Al Sharpton was standing behind me, like, he said, 609 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 8: I think I'm gonna need you to go preaching some 610 00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:05,360 Speaker 8: in some church. 611 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: He said, get to actual church. Bishop. 612 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 2: I said, I. 613 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:12,799 Speaker 3: Cussed too much, but I'll take the cussing out. I'll 614 00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 3: I'll take the cussing out. 615 00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:17,719 Speaker 2: You would, I'll take some of the cussing out. Which 616 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 2: words would you allow? I would allow, damn it, Okay, 617 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:26,960 Speaker 2: I would allow. Get your ship together, get you but 618 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,160 Speaker 2: it can only come in that package. You can't be on. 619 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:32,320 Speaker 2: It can't stand on its own. No, okay, well it could. 620 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:33,080 Speaker 2: You know. 621 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:36,840 Speaker 3: The one thing that I did take out, okay, was motherfucker, 622 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:37,759 Speaker 3: you took that out. 623 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:39,680 Speaker 2: I took it out. I said, ms. 624 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:47,480 Speaker 3: Okay, I said, lock these m f's out. 625 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 2: Phraise music played because. 626 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,600 Speaker 3: If there was, if there was a gospel group there, 627 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:55,520 Speaker 3: and I don't know why he didn't get on the 628 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 3: keyboard and key up, because I was. 629 00:36:57,719 --> 00:36:59,920 Speaker 2: Keyed up, fuddy. You can see it. 630 00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:03,280 Speaker 3: I'm posted on a substat Okay, all twenty two minutes 631 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:03,480 Speaker 3: of it. 632 00:37:03,600 --> 00:37:10,279 Speaker 2: Okay, I didn't get the four minute memo, but you 633 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 2: have four minutes. Don't give Billy a mic. 634 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:14,480 Speaker 1: Don't give Billy and. 635 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:17,400 Speaker 2: Not tell him it's four minutes before the day before. 636 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:20,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, you need that information well in advance the day before. 637 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 3: They were like, oh and they should be no more 638 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:24,800 Speaker 3: than four minutes. 639 00:37:24,840 --> 00:37:26,640 Speaker 2: I said, okay, we also let me tell you this. 640 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:32,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, okay, you get four times up five and 641 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:38,400 Speaker 1: you get four times five point five. Okay, But but 642 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:41,759 Speaker 1: I have to say, people, they want to hear you, 643 00:37:41,920 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: they want to hear you and listen four minutes. The 644 00:37:45,640 --> 00:37:48,759 Speaker 1: reality is, if you had prepared four minutes anyway, you 645 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:52,440 Speaker 1: pivoted based on what the news was doing, and it 646 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:53,840 Speaker 1: was going to be twenty two minutes. 647 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:55,959 Speaker 2: I needed to say what I needed to say. 648 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,840 Speaker 3: And the thing that's so surprising to me right now, 649 00:37:59,280 --> 00:38:02,839 Speaker 3: being first generation post civil rights movement, is how many 650 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:09,440 Speaker 3: people are afraid to speak. You're saying everything everybody wants 651 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:12,040 Speaker 3: to say, then why are you not saying it? 652 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 1: I think people are not just losing things, losing opportunities. 653 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 1: But it's interesting because you're going to lose them anyway anyway. 654 00:38:21,120 --> 00:38:23,800 Speaker 2: Because they're coming from my black faggot ass. 655 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:29,879 Speaker 3: Whether I speak now or not, I'm in that position already, 656 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:32,400 Speaker 3: so there's no reason. And I use the word. I 657 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:35,840 Speaker 3: use the F word as a recogno. It's not on 658 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:39,120 Speaker 3: the pool bit. I use that word as a reclamation 659 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:46,879 Speaker 3: of the words of my oppressors. Sure, just like black 660 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:48,000 Speaker 3: people use the N word. 661 00:38:48,360 --> 00:38:56,319 Speaker 2: Na. You know what I mean? It's like, what are we? 662 00:38:55,960 --> 00:39:02,279 Speaker 2: Who are we pretending for now? Who were we being 663 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:06,799 Speaker 2: politically correct for now? I'm out of that. 664 00:39:07,320 --> 00:39:12,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, miss me with that age, because you are in 665 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:13,280 Speaker 1: your I don't give a fuck. 666 00:39:14,600 --> 00:39:15,680 Speaker 2: Era you are. 667 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:19,720 Speaker 1: It helps, it helps, doesn't it help? To be fifty 668 00:39:19,760 --> 00:39:21,279 Speaker 1: six real with me? 669 00:39:21,880 --> 00:39:22,279 Speaker 2: It does? 670 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:24,600 Speaker 1: It does, And to almost die. 671 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:27,279 Speaker 2: And to almost die it helps. I mean I was 672 00:39:27,360 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 2: dead for three days. Technically, did you see Jesus? I 673 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:30,719 Speaker 2: did not? 674 00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,400 Speaker 3: Thank you for it, and thank you for asking that question. 675 00:39:34,880 --> 00:39:38,480 Speaker 3: I didn't see anything, nothing. It was completely black, and 676 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:42,840 Speaker 3: that leads me to know my time ain't done yet. 677 00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:46,400 Speaker 3: I didn't see mom, I didn't see Grandma. I didn't 678 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,120 Speaker 3: see a tunnel. I didn't see no lights. I didn't 679 00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:52,000 Speaker 3: have no negotiations with spirits. 680 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:54,240 Speaker 2: I didn't have nothing. I was black. 681 00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:57,600 Speaker 3: And then I woke up three days later and thought 682 00:39:57,640 --> 00:39:59,400 Speaker 3: I was in Michanos. 683 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:02,200 Speaker 2: Where we're you at Bellevue. 684 00:40:03,840 --> 00:40:08,120 Speaker 6: They is not making those not even close, not even close, 685 00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:12,080 Speaker 6: not even I need one more thing from my bag, 686 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:14,600 Speaker 6: which is my fan. 687 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:18,200 Speaker 1: Okay, because now podcast Billy, can we get Billy's fan? 688 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:20,320 Speaker 1: You're getting hot toasting. 689 00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:24,920 Speaker 3: I am having my men o pause moment, men o pause, 690 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:27,239 Speaker 3: men oh, men have it to you. 691 00:40:27,280 --> 00:40:30,200 Speaker 1: Guys get hot with age. I know you get more 692 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:31,360 Speaker 1: attractive with age. 693 00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:33,120 Speaker 2: Thank you, not just you. 694 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:39,040 Speaker 3: But I know I believe it because I am just a. 695 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:41,320 Speaker 2: Little bit of pre just a little bit of promotion. 696 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:46,120 Speaker 3: Billy black Mona Lisa Billy Porter is black Mona Lisa 697 00:40:46,200 --> 00:40:46,680 Speaker 3: as well. 698 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:50,120 Speaker 1: I thought the fan might say, Billy Porter is on Substack, 699 00:40:50,200 --> 00:40:52,480 Speaker 1: because I thought you were just here to promote Substack. 700 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:56,520 Speaker 2: So I'm here to promote my book. Okay, oh ship, yes, 701 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:58,040 Speaker 2: you forgot all about it? 702 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:04,080 Speaker 5: Because Songbird in the Light, please, Songbird in the Light. 703 00:41:05,120 --> 00:41:07,959 Speaker 2: Do you even have one? No? I don't. Why didn't 704 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:11,080 Speaker 2: I thought they would have brought you one? Could you 705 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:14,760 Speaker 2: sign it? Of course you don't have an image. 706 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:18,920 Speaker 3: You can put that in later. You can super improse 707 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:20,200 Speaker 3: the image on our heart. 708 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:22,399 Speaker 2: We'll put it. We'll put it like right on your chest. 709 00:41:22,760 --> 00:41:25,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, put it on my chest or one of them 710 00:41:25,040 --> 00:41:27,520 Speaker 3: little pop ups that the kids do that. I don't 711 00:41:27,560 --> 00:41:29,520 Speaker 3: know how to do now on you know how to 712 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 3: do that on the Instagram. I don't know how to 713 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:37,160 Speaker 3: do it. I see these things. I'm like, I don't 714 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:37,560 Speaker 3: know how to do. 715 00:41:37,680 --> 00:41:40,759 Speaker 1: So the person listening that sound you here is Billy's fair. 716 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:43,680 Speaker 2: I know it's going to wear the sec who but 717 00:41:43,760 --> 00:41:44,640 Speaker 2: I'm sweating from. 718 00:41:44,520 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 1: The inside parts inside remember that it's but by the way, 719 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:49,960 Speaker 1: it's hot today. 720 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:52,720 Speaker 3: It's hot today, it's hot. You know what the inside 721 00:41:52,760 --> 00:41:55,040 Speaker 3: part is? Where that comes from? 722 00:41:55,280 --> 00:42:00,880 Speaker 2: The kucie? What's the kuccie? Oh? Well, yes, but do 723 00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:02,080 Speaker 2: you know where that line came? 724 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:08,960 Speaker 1: No, no, no, tell me beloved, beloved Tony Morrison's beloved 725 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:12,160 Speaker 1: the movie, the movie, because I read the book the movie, 726 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:18,760 Speaker 1: but it is the Cuci, right see, I didn't know why. 727 00:42:18,600 --> 00:42:26,760 Speaker 2: Did I whisper? Like anyway? The Coucci? Billy? 728 00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:30,680 Speaker 3: Shall we pivot to the children's book where you want 729 00:42:30,719 --> 00:42:32,160 Speaker 3: to talk some more about some other shit. 730 00:42:32,200 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 1: I don't really have to know about the book except 731 00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:35,640 Speaker 1: for that people need to get it unless you want 732 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:36,160 Speaker 1: to say something. 733 00:42:36,280 --> 00:42:38,719 Speaker 2: Okay, here's the thing. Yes, I want to say one thing. 734 00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 3: Yes, So there is a memoir came out twenty twenty one, 735 00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:51,120 Speaker 3: Billy Porter Unprotected came out during COVID. 736 00:42:51,239 --> 00:42:52,600 Speaker 2: A lot of people don't know about it. 737 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:56,880 Speaker 1: And in that one, oh names, Okay. 738 00:42:57,000 --> 00:42:59,560 Speaker 2: I name a couple of I name a couple of names. 739 00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:03,200 Speaker 3: And I've run into the people whose names I've named, 740 00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:05,280 Speaker 3: and I know they haven't read. 741 00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:06,480 Speaker 1: The bookcase it's sweet. 742 00:43:07,680 --> 00:43:10,840 Speaker 2: It's because they still talk to me. I'm fair. 743 00:43:11,160 --> 00:43:16,600 Speaker 3: But so that book, I want to package it together 744 00:43:17,160 --> 00:43:19,400 Speaker 3: to remind people that there's a memoir. 745 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:20,680 Speaker 2: And then this is like. 746 00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:25,920 Speaker 3: It's kind of memoir based as well. It's called Songbird 747 00:43:25,960 --> 00:43:31,720 Speaker 3: in the light and it's about a little boy who 748 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:38,000 Speaker 3: finds his voice through singing, and it's based on my life. 749 00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:43,160 Speaker 3: The original title was rockhead Bill because that's what they 750 00:43:43,160 --> 00:43:47,000 Speaker 3: called me because my head grew larger than my body 751 00:43:47,600 --> 00:43:48,839 Speaker 3: between the ages of like. 752 00:43:48,760 --> 00:43:52,080 Speaker 2: Eight and eleven. My head looked like this, like it was. 753 00:43:52,400 --> 00:43:55,880 Speaker 1: You know, the nicknames when we were children, they're so cruel, horrible. 754 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:59,280 Speaker 1: My family used to call me, which means bone skeleton, 755 00:43:59,320 --> 00:44:01,520 Speaker 1: because I was tired. As you were thinking, but she 756 00:44:01,560 --> 00:44:04,200 Speaker 1: doesn't eat, and I'm like, I do, I do eat. 757 00:44:04,320 --> 00:44:06,560 Speaker 2: This is just the size of my body. You're right, 758 00:44:07,200 --> 00:44:08,680 Speaker 2: So they called me rockhead bill. 759 00:44:09,120 --> 00:44:13,040 Speaker 3: So interestingly enough, ironically enough, I think I'm using that 760 00:44:13,080 --> 00:44:17,080 Speaker 3: word right. I wrote my whole memoir, two hundred and 761 00:44:17,120 --> 00:44:21,040 Speaker 3: eighty plus pages of it, on my own, and you know, 762 00:44:21,120 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 3: I had help coaching, you know, and mentorship, but I 763 00:44:24,719 --> 00:44:25,799 Speaker 3: wrote it on my own. 764 00:44:27,520 --> 00:44:29,319 Speaker 2: I come to write this children's book, and I. 765 00:44:29,239 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 3: Tried three times, and my publisher was like, it's called 766 00:44:35,760 --> 00:44:39,520 Speaker 3: rockhead Bill. The inciting incident is the fact that the 767 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:45,480 Speaker 3: kids threw rocks at my head. Turns out that might 768 00:44:45,520 --> 00:44:48,799 Speaker 3: be a little violent for children from the ages of 769 00:44:48,840 --> 00:44:49,440 Speaker 3: four to eight. 770 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:51,440 Speaker 1: Look at me I didn't even catch it. I'm like, yeah, okay, 771 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:53,040 Speaker 1: right right. 772 00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:57,200 Speaker 2: Because that's what happened. They're like, oh, it's a little violent. 773 00:44:57,320 --> 00:45:00,399 Speaker 5: I was like, that's what they did. Actually through eight 774 00:45:00,480 --> 00:45:02,440 Speaker 5: years old day threw rocks in my head. What are 775 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:03,200 Speaker 5: y'all talking about? 776 00:45:03,520 --> 00:45:07,080 Speaker 1: Romanticize those children? We're not gonna do. You don't romanticize 777 00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:07,520 Speaker 1: the bully. 778 00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:09,640 Speaker 2: I do not romanticize those bullies. 779 00:45:09,680 --> 00:45:11,480 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I'm like, then it's okay to call it 780 00:45:11,520 --> 00:45:12,040 Speaker 1: what it was. 781 00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:18,480 Speaker 3: So we got Chris Clarkson and Charlie Palmer. I've never 782 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:22,880 Speaker 3: met them in person, which is hard, and I'm gonna 783 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:24,560 Speaker 3: throw I'm gonna take them to dinner. 784 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:26,279 Speaker 1: Saying because we don't do this at my show, but 785 00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:29,719 Speaker 1: this team here wet. We're not a visiting studio. They 786 00:45:29,719 --> 00:45:31,080 Speaker 1: said we could pull it up for you. 787 00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:31,879 Speaker 2: Come on team. 788 00:45:33,320 --> 00:45:36,719 Speaker 3: So one of the things that I was really I'm so, 789 00:45:37,080 --> 00:45:39,680 Speaker 3: you know. So I met with Chris Clarkson, who is 790 00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:42,560 Speaker 3: a children's book writer, and I told him the story 791 00:45:42,600 --> 00:45:45,960 Speaker 3: about me finding my voice, being bullied, finding my voice, 792 00:45:46,080 --> 00:45:50,400 Speaker 3: and the reality is in fifth grade when I signed 793 00:45:50,440 --> 00:45:53,800 Speaker 3: up for the Talent show and won, the bullying. 794 00:45:53,440 --> 00:45:58,080 Speaker 1: Stopped because they said he's a star. Yes, I might 795 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:00,399 Speaker 1: need Billy someday. 796 00:46:00,520 --> 00:46:03,480 Speaker 2: And so that was really that was an interesting thing. 797 00:46:05,320 --> 00:46:06,000 Speaker 2: Charlie Parker. 798 00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:14,440 Speaker 3: Uh Palmer, Charlie Palmer, the. 799 00:46:11,640 --> 00:46:14,000 Speaker 2: The visuals, the illustrations. 800 00:46:14,000 --> 00:46:20,000 Speaker 3: I was really interested in aspirational art for kids. 801 00:46:21,719 --> 00:46:25,120 Speaker 2: I didn't want it to be kitty art. No shade. 802 00:46:25,320 --> 00:46:26,759 Speaker 2: I don't mean any shade by that. 803 00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:29,960 Speaker 3: But what I my goal was, I want to create 804 00:46:30,239 --> 00:46:35,480 Speaker 3: this book so that whoever it speaks to as a 805 00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:39,400 Speaker 3: child will keep it with them and put it on 806 00:46:39,440 --> 00:46:42,480 Speaker 3: that coffee table when they're an adult, next to. 807 00:46:44,000 --> 00:46:46,560 Speaker 2: Their adult coffee table. Yes, because it's art. 808 00:46:46,600 --> 00:46:49,600 Speaker 1: It's beautiful. Thank you, I'm taken by. I'm so distracted. 809 00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:51,160 Speaker 1: You have to put the thanks dad by a go 810 00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:54,160 Speaker 1: back up because I'm up close and I can see 811 00:46:54,200 --> 00:46:55,640 Speaker 1: the details. 812 00:46:55,719 --> 00:46:57,520 Speaker 2: Of the art. The art is beautiful. 813 00:46:57,560 --> 00:47:01,120 Speaker 1: It's stunning. Chris an actual artist though. 814 00:47:01,320 --> 00:47:01,480 Speaker 2: Yeah. 815 00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:05,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, Like so it's not just painted. Do you have 816 00:47:05,040 --> 00:47:06,040 Speaker 1: any pieces from him? 817 00:47:06,080 --> 00:47:09,040 Speaker 3: Now, I'm like, I don't I have Get that book. 818 00:47:09,280 --> 00:47:11,640 Speaker 3: Get the book you have like twenty four pieces? 819 00:47:11,800 --> 00:47:12,880 Speaker 1: Songbird in the Light. 820 00:47:12,920 --> 00:47:17,240 Speaker 3: Songbird in the Light, Darling, Get it to all your children, okay, 821 00:47:17,480 --> 00:47:20,000 Speaker 3: and the adults, because y'all could learn something from that book. 822 00:47:20,239 --> 00:47:23,680 Speaker 1: Absolutely, the babies will teach us. Yes, it was written 823 00:47:23,719 --> 00:47:25,360 Speaker 1: by you and your co writer. 824 00:47:25,640 --> 00:47:29,680 Speaker 3: Yes, yes, yes, yes, but he was he really distilled 825 00:47:30,960 --> 00:47:34,640 Speaker 3: rockhead Bill into songbird. 826 00:47:35,360 --> 00:47:39,000 Speaker 1: Yes, he's They came back, they said, okay, so rockhead 827 00:47:39,040 --> 00:47:44,239 Speaker 1: Bill maybe maybe stead of rockhead it's a songbird. 828 00:47:45,960 --> 00:47:47,320 Speaker 2: I was trying to be funny. 829 00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:49,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, but you know I wasn't on you know, I 830 00:47:49,920 --> 00:47:51,960 Speaker 3: wasn't a regular and l yet. 831 00:47:51,840 --> 00:47:59,080 Speaker 1: So what I could have sworn together Monday pitch writing, 832 00:47:59,120 --> 00:47:59,759 Speaker 1: our schedules and. 833 00:47:59,760 --> 00:48:01,359 Speaker 2: You know, I'm trying to do comedy now. 834 00:48:01,480 --> 00:48:04,560 Speaker 1: You want to do comedy now? Like stand up? 835 00:48:04,719 --> 00:48:07,640 Speaker 2: Stand up? Have you gone? Because it scares. 836 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:09,759 Speaker 3: Me? 837 00:48:10,040 --> 00:48:11,400 Speaker 1: I think you would be good at it. I'm not 838 00:48:11,400 --> 00:48:12,600 Speaker 1: even an expert, but I'm like. 839 00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:16,400 Speaker 3: Everybody, all my stand up people who I talked to, 840 00:48:16,520 --> 00:48:19,640 Speaker 3: They're like, you're already a stand up. You just need 841 00:48:19,640 --> 00:48:22,840 Speaker 3: to get up and do it. And it terrifies me. 842 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:28,400 Speaker 3: And there's very little that like terrifies me anymore. And 843 00:48:28,480 --> 00:48:35,719 Speaker 3: so I'm doing a podcast with Phoebe Robinson and who 844 00:48:35,719 --> 00:48:40,440 Speaker 3: did I say, Leslie Jones soon and I was talking 845 00:48:40,480 --> 00:48:44,600 Speaker 3: to them about it and they were like, well, we'll 846 00:48:44,600 --> 00:48:47,560 Speaker 3: help you, you know, we'll you know, everybody's like, you 847 00:48:47,640 --> 00:48:49,239 Speaker 3: just have to get up and do it. 848 00:48:50,160 --> 00:48:51,600 Speaker 2: You know, you don't need to write it. 849 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:54,560 Speaker 3: Just pick a theme, get up and just start talking 850 00:48:54,760 --> 00:48:56,000 Speaker 3: and you'll be surprised. 851 00:48:57,320 --> 00:48:58,239 Speaker 2: So I'm getting there. 852 00:48:58,960 --> 00:49:00,600 Speaker 1: Do you think, are you scared of bombing? 853 00:49:01,719 --> 00:49:02,160 Speaker 2: No? 854 00:49:02,160 --> 00:49:04,760 Speaker 1: No, oh, well then you're billy. You're gonna be fine. 855 00:49:05,280 --> 00:49:07,520 Speaker 3: Like, I'm not scared of bombing. I don't want to bomb, 856 00:49:07,600 --> 00:49:10,040 Speaker 3: of course, but everybody's gonna bomb. 857 00:49:10,400 --> 00:49:11,319 Speaker 1: But if you're not scared of it. 858 00:49:11,640 --> 00:49:13,719 Speaker 3: I'm not scared of bombing. My whole life has been 859 00:49:14,239 --> 00:49:22,520 Speaker 3: a series of bombs. That's where the that's where the 860 00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:25,879 Speaker 3: the mastery comes from. That's you know, I'm not scared 861 00:49:25,920 --> 00:49:26,320 Speaker 3: of bombing. 862 00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:30,160 Speaker 1: Oh good, Okay, Now you said something about it being 863 00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:35,440 Speaker 1: good here. Now that that's sort of how you're considering 864 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:38,160 Speaker 1: this new space, this new chapter you're in because it's 865 00:49:38,200 --> 00:49:40,440 Speaker 1: good here. Now, what's good about it? 866 00:49:40,840 --> 00:49:41,120 Speaker 2: Good? 867 00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:47,160 Speaker 3: You mean for me personally, it's good and it's challenging. 868 00:49:47,280 --> 00:49:49,320 Speaker 2: Okay. 869 00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:54,360 Speaker 3: I always find that the challenges are the greatest space 870 00:49:54,440 --> 00:49:58,360 Speaker 3: for me. The fear is the greatest space for me. 871 00:49:58,680 --> 00:50:03,239 Speaker 3: The loss is the great space for me, The failure 872 00:50:03,640 --> 00:50:05,520 Speaker 3: is the greatest space for me because that's where I 873 00:50:05,600 --> 00:50:06,320 Speaker 3: learn the most. 874 00:50:08,239 --> 00:50:13,840 Speaker 2: And so once again I'm in another learning space. 875 00:50:15,160 --> 00:50:25,360 Speaker 3: You know, I smashed through a glass ceiling that was concrete. 876 00:50:26,400 --> 00:50:31,880 Speaker 3: I was never supposed to on paper rise to the 877 00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:39,880 Speaker 3: heights and be elevated to the sort of a list 878 00:50:41,560 --> 00:50:48,920 Speaker 3: wild success space that I did that I have, And 879 00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:52,840 Speaker 3: now that I'm there, I have realized, oh, so many 880 00:50:52,880 --> 00:50:59,759 Speaker 3: people then spend their lives trying to stay there, and 881 00:50:59,800 --> 00:51:01,160 Speaker 3: that that's where. 882 00:51:01,160 --> 00:51:07,640 Speaker 2: I'm finding the fractures happen. I'm learning. 883 00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:14,440 Speaker 3: Yet another version of an ebb and flow, another version 884 00:51:14,560 --> 00:51:22,759 Speaker 3: of impermanent. Nothing is permanent and you can't hold on 885 00:51:22,880 --> 00:51:27,000 Speaker 3: to any of it because the holding on to it 886 00:51:27,080 --> 00:51:33,239 Speaker 3: is where the suffering happens. And so even in the 887 00:51:33,480 --> 00:51:37,760 Speaker 3: uncomfortable that I feel right now, and I am very 888 00:51:37,920 --> 00:51:45,719 Speaker 3: very uncomfortable now right now, I'm also very inspired at 889 00:51:45,719 --> 00:51:47,799 Speaker 3: the same time for whatever. 890 00:51:49,680 --> 00:51:51,680 Speaker 2: Comes next. I have a production company. 891 00:51:52,160 --> 00:51:56,240 Speaker 3: I've had it for three years, you know, four years 892 00:51:56,320 --> 00:51:59,160 Speaker 3: actually three are going on four years. I had a 893 00:51:59,160 --> 00:52:02,720 Speaker 3: deal at FAC the strikes came, all of that stuff 894 00:52:02,760 --> 00:52:07,319 Speaker 3: went away, all of it seems to have whatever, And 895 00:52:07,360 --> 00:52:12,319 Speaker 3: It's like, but I have so much to focus on 896 00:52:12,440 --> 00:52:15,560 Speaker 3: right now that is about me and about the stories 897 00:52:15,600 --> 00:52:18,799 Speaker 3: that I want to tell. I want to be the 898 00:52:18,840 --> 00:52:26,880 Speaker 3: head bitch in charge. I'm more interested in creating the 899 00:52:27,000 --> 00:52:31,319 Speaker 3: stories and filling the gaps of the stories that I 900 00:52:31,360 --> 00:52:34,560 Speaker 3: don't see from the people that I don't see it from, 901 00:52:34,800 --> 00:52:36,680 Speaker 3: from the marginalized. 902 00:52:35,920 --> 00:52:37,000 Speaker 2: Folks like myself. 903 00:52:37,360 --> 00:52:42,120 Speaker 3: I went to see Cat's Agelical Ball the other night, and. 904 00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:44,960 Speaker 2: I couldn't stop crying. 905 00:52:49,360 --> 00:52:53,399 Speaker 3: I just I mean, I got here in the late 906 00:52:53,440 --> 00:52:55,680 Speaker 3: eighties early nineties, there was nothing like that for me 907 00:52:55,760 --> 00:52:56,040 Speaker 3: to do. 908 00:52:57,080 --> 00:52:58,680 Speaker 2: I graduated from Carnegie. 909 00:52:58,239 --> 00:53:01,759 Speaker 3: Mellon, I studied classical theater, and all I could do 910 00:53:01,920 --> 00:53:05,719 Speaker 3: was be in a musical review when I graduated, or 911 00:53:05,800 --> 00:53:08,680 Speaker 3: be or have some or be some thug on a 912 00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:13,399 Speaker 3: guest spot on a television show. You know, like there 913 00:53:13,480 --> 00:53:20,399 Speaker 3: was nothing they weren't casting people in. In less, they 914 00:53:20,400 --> 00:53:26,160 Speaker 3: weren't casting people in in Uh, Phantom of the Opera 915 00:53:26,200 --> 00:53:29,680 Speaker 3: and things of that nature. My first Broadway show was 916 00:53:29,680 --> 00:53:33,320 Speaker 3: was Uh Miss Sagon, and that was a gift. And Cats, 917 00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:38,799 Speaker 3: being a show that was from my generation, was one 918 00:53:38,800 --> 00:53:42,880 Speaker 3: of the only spaces where they were casting any kinds 919 00:53:42,880 --> 00:53:47,080 Speaker 3: of people of color. So there's a special place in 920 00:53:47,080 --> 00:53:51,759 Speaker 3: my heart for that very special show that didn't age. 921 00:53:51,440 --> 00:53:56,280 Speaker 2: Well until now, Divas. 922 00:53:57,200 --> 00:54:02,440 Speaker 3: It is one of the greatest pieces of art that 923 00:54:02,640 --> 00:54:05,480 Speaker 3: I have seen in a really, really long time. 924 00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:07,879 Speaker 2: And to have those people. 925 00:54:09,600 --> 00:54:16,239 Speaker 3: On that stage from the ballroom community melded with the 926 00:54:16,600 --> 00:54:20,040 Speaker 3: you know, the more traditional theater people, and to I just. 927 00:54:22,120 --> 00:54:22,279 Speaker 2: Yea. 928 00:54:22,960 --> 00:54:25,160 Speaker 3: And to know that I'm a part of that, To 929 00:54:25,280 --> 00:54:29,480 Speaker 3: know that I'm a part of the generation that held 930 00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:34,040 Speaker 3: the gatekeeper's feet to the fire and said no, you 931 00:54:34,160 --> 00:54:35,040 Speaker 3: will see. 932 00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:40,960 Speaker 2: Us, you will see us, is just magical. To me. 933 00:54:41,880 --> 00:54:43,320 Speaker 2: It really is just lovely. 934 00:54:44,480 --> 00:54:46,520 Speaker 3: It really really is lovely, and so I want to 935 00:54:46,560 --> 00:54:48,959 Speaker 3: continue to do that. 936 00:54:49,360 --> 00:54:53,799 Speaker 2: It's not just about me. You know, I've had it, 937 00:54:53,840 --> 00:54:55,040 Speaker 2: I got it all. I have it. 938 00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:58,719 Speaker 3: I have all the things that I've ever dreamed of 939 00:54:59,320 --> 00:55:03,880 Speaker 3: and more. You know, I've already done it. Anytime I 940 00:55:03,920 --> 00:55:06,239 Speaker 3: have like that, you know, when we all have that 941 00:55:06,280 --> 00:55:09,160 Speaker 3: twin je oh I want to it's like, oh wait, 942 00:55:09,200 --> 00:55:09,880 Speaker 3: I already did it. 943 00:55:10,239 --> 00:55:17,760 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, I already did that. It's special. 944 00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:21,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is special. It's cool because it's all part 945 00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:25,439 Speaker 1: of your I feel like, part of your legacy. Yeah right, yeah, 946 00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:28,120 Speaker 1: part of your legacy. And you said though that you've 947 00:55:28,120 --> 00:55:31,320 Speaker 1: done it all, You've done it all. Of it, most all, 948 00:55:31,400 --> 00:55:32,960 Speaker 1: most all, We're gonna get you that. 949 00:55:33,000 --> 00:55:37,080 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, And I want my you know, I want 950 00:55:37,160 --> 00:55:41,040 Speaker 3: my television show that I write and direct and create 951 00:55:41,719 --> 00:55:44,600 Speaker 3: and start in. I want my films. I want my 952 00:55:45,760 --> 00:55:48,120 Speaker 3: you know plays, I want my musicals. I wrote a 953 00:55:48,200 --> 00:55:55,319 Speaker 3: musical with Kirk Carr, gospel recording artist Kirk Carr. You 954 00:55:55,360 --> 00:55:58,440 Speaker 3: know that I'm pushing up that hill like Sisyphis. You know, 955 00:55:58,520 --> 00:56:01,240 Speaker 3: I have lots of projects and that in the conference 956 00:56:01,280 --> 00:56:01,799 Speaker 3: that I've been. 957 00:56:01,719 --> 00:56:06,480 Speaker 2: Working on for years. You know, Yeah, now is the 958 00:56:06,520 --> 00:56:07,560 Speaker 2: time to get that done. 959 00:56:07,800 --> 00:56:09,359 Speaker 1: So what's making you uncomfortable? 960 00:56:09,400 --> 00:56:09,560 Speaker 2: Now? 961 00:56:09,560 --> 00:56:12,759 Speaker 1: What's you feel very uncomfortable? What's so uncomfortable? 962 00:56:15,520 --> 00:56:21,640 Speaker 2: A go, Billy, Well, we gotta go on sub sect 963 00:56:21,680 --> 00:56:24,920 Speaker 2: to get the real. So you're not gonna tell me 964 00:56:25,120 --> 00:56:26,919 Speaker 2: or what's making me uncomfortable? 965 00:56:32,640 --> 00:56:33,799 Speaker 1: The most uncomfortable? 966 00:56:35,680 --> 00:56:44,560 Speaker 3: Well, I'll go from Howard where the uncomfortable started, COVID 967 00:56:45,160 --> 00:56:53,200 Speaker 3: into two strikes, into a really messy, nasty divorce for 968 00:56:53,320 --> 00:56:55,879 Speaker 3: three years that just got over about two months ago. 969 00:56:56,239 --> 00:57:05,319 Speaker 3: Finally where he got every all every cent I ever 970 00:57:05,400 --> 00:57:11,080 Speaker 3: worked for in my life, no legally, And people ask me, 971 00:57:12,480 --> 00:57:16,000 Speaker 3: how is that possible? How is it possible that orange 972 00:57:16,000 --> 00:57:19,400 Speaker 3: Gina is in office for the second time. Ask yourself 973 00:57:19,440 --> 00:57:23,480 Speaker 3: that and then you'll understand why our legal system is trash. 974 00:57:24,040 --> 00:57:26,320 Speaker 2: Period. No. 975 00:57:28,040 --> 00:57:31,400 Speaker 3: I he was before anything, so I didn't even know 976 00:57:31,440 --> 00:57:31,920 Speaker 3: what that. 977 00:57:31,960 --> 00:57:35,120 Speaker 1: Was your like prena for one, I didn't know what 978 00:57:35,160 --> 00:57:35,720 Speaker 1: that was. 979 00:57:36,760 --> 00:57:40,439 Speaker 5: Great, yes, but I didn't know what we've just got. 980 00:57:40,520 --> 00:57:43,280 Speaker 5: We just got the right to get married, like I didn't. 981 00:57:43,600 --> 00:57:46,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, it never even crossed my mind. 982 00:57:46,800 --> 00:57:47,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. 983 00:57:47,480 --> 00:57:49,640 Speaker 1: And presumably when you're getting married, you're like, this is 984 00:57:49,680 --> 00:57:51,680 Speaker 1: my person, right, And. 985 00:57:51,600 --> 00:57:56,720 Speaker 3: I will say that Ryan Murphy God bless him, met 986 00:57:56,760 --> 00:58:01,520 Speaker 3: him and said, you need to get a post Oh, 987 00:58:01,560 --> 00:58:02,200 Speaker 3: and I didn't. 988 00:58:02,400 --> 00:58:04,520 Speaker 2: You didn't do it because he saw it. 989 00:58:04,600 --> 00:58:07,680 Speaker 1: How many years before it was time to get divorced? 990 00:58:07,680 --> 00:58:12,560 Speaker 1: Did Ryan call that? Four? Oh? 991 00:58:12,720 --> 00:58:13,000 Speaker 2: You had? 992 00:58:13,160 --> 00:58:15,160 Speaker 1: He told you four years in advance. 993 00:58:15,200 --> 00:58:17,120 Speaker 2: He met him one time and said you need a 994 00:58:17,160 --> 00:58:26,040 Speaker 2: post nut Ryan b knowing, and then my mom died. 995 00:58:31,240 --> 00:58:35,960 Speaker 2: That's really uncomfortable. Yeah, that's really hard. 996 00:58:36,640 --> 00:58:36,840 Speaker 3: You know. 997 00:58:36,920 --> 00:58:40,680 Speaker 2: It's me and my sister and my mother was. 998 00:58:42,720 --> 00:58:46,520 Speaker 3: A very religious Pentecostal woman, Church of God in Christ. 999 00:58:46,400 --> 00:58:50,320 Speaker 1: Child kojak, kojak, that's what it is. 1000 00:58:50,680 --> 00:58:51,200 Speaker 2: Saying it wrong. 1001 00:58:51,280 --> 00:58:53,520 Speaker 1: But I know the ceog I. 1002 00:58:54,440 --> 00:58:58,320 Speaker 3: Kojak, and when I came out to her as gay 1003 00:58:58,720 --> 00:59:03,600 Speaker 3: in the eighties, she didn't have a good response. 1004 00:59:04,000 --> 00:59:07,960 Speaker 2: She loved me, she didn't kick me out. She did 1005 00:59:08,040 --> 00:59:11,400 Speaker 2: I didn't get that, but she was afraid from my soul, 1006 00:59:12,080 --> 00:59:17,160 Speaker 2: Oh you're going to hell, the same old And she 1007 00:59:17,360 --> 00:59:27,880 Speaker 2: went from that all the way to a choosing me. 1008 00:59:29,400 --> 00:59:35,840 Speaker 3: And choosing the LGBTQ plus community. 1009 00:59:34,760 --> 00:59:40,040 Speaker 2: In Jesus' name through love, and. 1010 00:59:41,440 --> 00:59:45,640 Speaker 3: Told my sister and I on her deathbed to stand 1011 00:59:45,800 --> 00:59:50,640 Speaker 3: up in front of her casket and hold the people 1012 00:59:51,240 --> 00:59:55,800 Speaker 3: who the church, people who were her community for a 1013 00:59:55,800 --> 00:59:59,920 Speaker 3: long time, and who were the traumatizers of our family, 1014 01:00:01,120 --> 01:00:04,320 Speaker 3: hold them accountable and tell them the truth because they 1015 01:00:04,400 --> 01:00:12,600 Speaker 3: are wrong. I mean, it's so beautiful and I miss 1016 01:00:12,600 --> 01:00:19,680 Speaker 3: her so much, and then sepsis. You know, I've never 1017 01:00:19,720 --> 01:00:24,720 Speaker 3: felt my age until right now. My whole body is 1018 01:00:24,760 --> 01:00:31,000 Speaker 3: what I use from my work, and there's a part 1019 01:00:31,000 --> 01:00:35,560 Speaker 3: of it that I can't use right now fully coming back. 1020 01:00:37,040 --> 01:00:39,040 Speaker 2: They don't know if it's going to be one hundred percent. 1021 01:00:40,480 --> 01:00:44,240 Speaker 3: I can tell you right now it's about eighty five 1022 01:00:44,400 --> 01:00:49,040 Speaker 3: ninety percent. The compartment syndrome destroyed all of the nerves 1023 01:00:49,040 --> 01:00:56,920 Speaker 3: in my foot. They're coming back. They're coming back, but 1024 01:00:57,040 --> 01:01:07,440 Speaker 3: I'll see, you know, a performance you know, of me 1025 01:01:07,520 --> 01:01:09,960 Speaker 3: in kinky boots or a performance of me and something. 1026 01:01:10,000 --> 01:01:14,400 Speaker 3: And I'm you know, it's uncomfortable to know that I 1027 01:01:14,440 --> 01:01:15,520 Speaker 3: can't do that right now. 1028 01:01:16,040 --> 01:01:17,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I don't know if I'll ever be able 1029 01:01:17,880 --> 01:01:18,280 Speaker 2: to do that. 1030 01:01:18,280 --> 01:01:25,040 Speaker 3: That's an uncomfortable place because that was my superpower. And 1031 01:01:25,080 --> 01:01:29,280 Speaker 3: to feel like you've lost your superpower is uncomfortable. Like 1032 01:01:29,320 --> 01:01:35,320 Speaker 3: I said, to feel like you've lost your superpower is uncomfortable. 1033 01:01:36,560 --> 01:01:43,880 Speaker 3: Feelings are not always facts, and so I'm working myself 1034 01:01:45,040 --> 01:01:48,800 Speaker 3: through that right now. 1035 01:01:49,160 --> 01:01:51,959 Speaker 2: And it's uncomfortable in a good way. 1036 01:01:52,520 --> 01:01:55,040 Speaker 3: Like I said, it's uncomfortable in a good way because 1037 01:01:55,440 --> 01:02:01,320 Speaker 3: whatever whatever grows from this, I've been planting these seeds 1038 01:02:01,320 --> 01:02:07,280 Speaker 3: my whole life. I plant seeds all the time. I 1039 01:02:07,360 --> 01:02:12,800 Speaker 3: never stopped I never stopped dreaming, I never stopped growing, 1040 01:02:13,480 --> 01:02:18,040 Speaker 3: I never stopped expanding, and I never stopped holding myself accountable. 1041 01:02:20,280 --> 01:02:20,480 Speaker 2: You know. 1042 01:02:20,680 --> 01:02:28,800 Speaker 3: Right now, I'm like, oh, this is my ego that 1043 01:02:28,960 --> 01:02:34,760 Speaker 3: I thought I had dealt with. And the ego is tricky. 1044 01:02:35,720 --> 01:02:39,280 Speaker 2: You know. I did that Mariah Carey thing, right I 1045 01:02:39,320 --> 01:02:42,080 Speaker 2: love talking to you. I did that, and I'm like. 1046 01:02:43,880 --> 01:02:50,360 Speaker 3: So my first event back was the Grammys and I 1047 01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:55,840 Speaker 3: was called to do a tribute to Mariah Carey for 1048 01:02:56,400 --> 01:02:57,360 Speaker 3: the Music Cares. 1049 01:02:58,920 --> 01:03:00,760 Speaker 2: They do it every year, and a few years ago 1050 01:03:00,800 --> 01:03:10,280 Speaker 2: I did it for uh this, My brain is still foggy. 1051 01:03:10,520 --> 01:03:12,480 Speaker 1: I didn't even have substance in my brain. 1052 01:03:12,320 --> 01:03:13,000 Speaker 2: Is my brain? 1053 01:03:15,000 --> 01:03:18,000 Speaker 3: I sang both sides now, Jonny Mitchell, and so they 1054 01:03:18,000 --> 01:03:18,960 Speaker 3: called me back to do this. 1055 01:03:19,440 --> 01:03:25,520 Speaker 2: And you know, my fashion is my armor. 1056 01:03:27,480 --> 01:03:31,480 Speaker 3: My fashion is my weapon, My fashion is my politics. 1057 01:03:32,160 --> 01:03:33,360 Speaker 3: My fashion. 1058 01:03:35,040 --> 01:03:36,320 Speaker 2: Is my superpower. 1059 01:03:37,360 --> 01:03:41,880 Speaker 3: And it's based on a very specific thing, very specific things, 1060 01:03:42,960 --> 01:03:47,760 Speaker 3: non binary de gendering of fashion. I wear what the 1061 01:03:47,840 --> 01:03:52,160 Speaker 3: fuck I want, right, and when I'm doing the non 1062 01:03:52,240 --> 01:03:56,040 Speaker 3: binary thing and leaning into the feminine part of it, 1063 01:03:56,160 --> 01:04:03,200 Speaker 3: of of of me, the silwet is this. And then 1064 01:04:04,200 --> 01:04:11,120 Speaker 3: this the train right when I'm in eight and a 1065 01:04:11,200 --> 01:04:12,200 Speaker 3: half inch. 1066 01:04:13,560 --> 01:04:17,000 Speaker 1: Rick Owens platform pumps, it makes me about six to two. 1067 01:04:18,920 --> 01:04:22,880 Speaker 1: So that train catches the wind and just lays behind 1068 01:04:22,960 --> 01:04:23,880 Speaker 1: me like it should. 1069 01:04:26,560 --> 01:04:33,520 Speaker 2: I saw myself singing always Be My Baby, and I 1070 01:04:33,640 --> 01:04:38,480 Speaker 2: remember I kept stepping on my train. I was like, 1071 01:04:38,720 --> 01:04:40,240 Speaker 2: am I stepping on this train? 1072 01:04:41,120 --> 01:04:43,360 Speaker 3: And I looked at me. When I finally looked at it, 1073 01:04:43,440 --> 01:04:50,360 Speaker 3: I was like, oh my god, I'm in flats. It's 1074 01:04:50,400 --> 01:04:54,520 Speaker 3: not catching the air, it's bunching up under me. I 1075 01:04:54,560 --> 01:04:59,200 Speaker 3: look like the clothes are wearing me. That's never happened 1076 01:04:59,240 --> 01:05:05,840 Speaker 3: to me before. I like, it was like, that's only me. 1077 01:05:07,400 --> 01:05:12,320 Speaker 3: Nobody else noticed it. And it's my ego. That's my ego. 1078 01:05:12,560 --> 01:05:17,920 Speaker 3: I get what it is, you know. And it's like, 1079 01:05:19,880 --> 01:05:23,040 Speaker 3: oh my god, I'm about to do play a drag 1080 01:05:23,120 --> 01:05:25,840 Speaker 3: queen in a Broadway show and I'm gonna have to 1081 01:05:25,880 --> 01:05:27,920 Speaker 3: put on a kitten heill like Michelle Obama. 1082 01:05:28,440 --> 01:05:31,200 Speaker 1: Let me say, I used to talk about kitten hills, 1083 01:05:31,200 --> 01:05:32,240 Speaker 1: but I love a kitten hill. 1084 01:05:32,280 --> 01:05:38,280 Speaker 2: Now I'm sorry. I know you might just have. 1085 01:05:38,280 --> 01:05:40,200 Speaker 1: To get used to k I used to talk so 1086 01:05:40,360 --> 01:05:45,240 Speaker 1: much shit about a kid wear a flat or wear 1087 01:05:45,280 --> 01:05:48,760 Speaker 1: a heel, but not a kitten. And now I got 1088 01:05:48,800 --> 01:05:50,640 Speaker 1: like three pairs of kitten heels. 1089 01:05:50,800 --> 01:05:53,280 Speaker 2: I'm gonna have to go to product and get them kidneys. Yeah, 1090 01:05:53,480 --> 01:05:56,400 Speaker 2: they're kind of cute. They are cute, and it's still 1091 01:05:56,440 --> 01:05:56,880 Speaker 2: a heel. 1092 01:05:57,160 --> 01:06:00,240 Speaker 1: It's still a heel, and it's still elegant. And if 1093 01:06:00,280 --> 01:06:03,000 Speaker 1: it's an inch, it's a heel. I mean, oh, go 1094 01:06:03,040 --> 01:06:05,160 Speaker 1: to You're gonna go to I'm gonna go to I 1095 01:06:05,200 --> 01:06:09,120 Speaker 1: can do two okay, Okay, be careful, I. 1096 01:06:09,160 --> 01:06:14,200 Speaker 3: Know, but like that part, like the image part, like 1097 01:06:14,440 --> 01:06:22,840 Speaker 3: just really going Okay, it's okay. I am exactly where 1098 01:06:22,840 --> 01:06:27,800 Speaker 3: I'm supposed to be. There's growth in this and I 1099 01:06:27,840 --> 01:06:29,479 Speaker 3: feel it happening all at once. 1100 01:06:29,680 --> 01:06:30,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know. 1101 01:06:31,240 --> 01:06:34,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, Billy, it's time for a segment. I call 1102 01:06:34,640 --> 01:06:35,960 Speaker 1: that's nice. But what about me? 1103 01:06:39,960 --> 01:06:43,040 Speaker 2: So that was cute or whatever. 1104 01:06:43,200 --> 01:06:48,959 Speaker 1: Okay, so that was cute or whatever, but we're gonna 1105 01:06:49,000 --> 01:06:53,840 Speaker 1: talk about me now. No, I want to take the 1106 01:06:53,880 --> 01:06:57,120 Speaker 1: segment to say thank you so much for sharing yourself 1107 01:06:57,280 --> 01:07:00,440 Speaker 1: with me today, of course listeners, for your vulnerability, for 1108 01:07:00,480 --> 01:07:05,080 Speaker 1: your honesty. I am so inspired by the way you're 1109 01:07:05,160 --> 01:07:08,960 Speaker 1: choosing to live, especially now after having been in the 1110 01:07:09,000 --> 01:07:12,120 Speaker 1: hospital and been dead for three days. 1111 01:07:12,360 --> 01:07:14,520 Speaker 3: Yes, and for those of you who want to talk 1112 01:07:14,600 --> 01:07:18,000 Speaker 3: shit on my comments talking about I'm being extra and 1113 01:07:18,040 --> 01:07:19,880 Speaker 3: not dead, look it up. 1114 01:07:21,240 --> 01:07:25,800 Speaker 2: He was dead dead and I just had to say that. 1115 01:07:25,840 --> 01:07:27,640 Speaker 2: I just had to say that. 1116 01:07:27,480 --> 01:07:30,400 Speaker 3: You know, because it's not on a SoundBite on social media. 1117 01:07:30,480 --> 01:07:32,440 Speaker 2: Yes, it's on real press. 1118 01:07:32,560 --> 01:07:34,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, yeah, said, let me say it here. 1119 01:07:34,880 --> 01:07:38,240 Speaker 2: You motherfucker's telling me what I went through. 1120 01:07:38,320 --> 01:07:41,000 Speaker 1: And he said, motherfucker is not a mefirst No, because 1121 01:07:41,000 --> 01:07:42,840 Speaker 1: we're not the church. 1122 01:07:43,360 --> 01:07:45,840 Speaker 2: Telling me what I what I went through? 1123 01:07:46,200 --> 01:07:51,919 Speaker 6: How very dare you see? 1124 01:07:52,000 --> 01:07:53,720 Speaker 2: I haven't sense of humor too? You do? 1125 01:07:54,000 --> 01:07:55,640 Speaker 1: But you know what the thing is, I do want 1126 01:07:55,640 --> 01:07:58,520 Speaker 1: to ask you this about defending a quick give me 1127 01:07:58,640 --> 01:08:00,959 Speaker 1: like your your fastest way to be like, I won't 1128 01:08:00,960 --> 01:08:04,560 Speaker 1: be defending myself against trolls. Because you still felt the 1129 01:08:04,600 --> 01:08:06,520 Speaker 1: need to say something here and I resonate with that 1130 01:08:06,560 --> 01:08:08,480 Speaker 1: where you're like, I need to let you know, why 1131 01:08:08,520 --> 01:08:12,040 Speaker 1: are you speaking on my situation. Come to the come 1132 01:08:12,040 --> 01:08:14,080 Speaker 1: to the mike right right right, say what is like 1133 01:08:14,120 --> 01:08:15,720 Speaker 1: a good piece of advice because I think a lot 1134 01:08:15,760 --> 01:08:16,559 Speaker 1: of people fall into that. 1135 01:08:17,320 --> 01:08:21,479 Speaker 3: Well for me, I'm not doing it here. Okay, I'm 1136 01:08:21,479 --> 01:08:23,800 Speaker 3: not doing it here. Okay, I will address it here, 1137 01:08:24,600 --> 01:08:25,519 Speaker 3: and I'll address it. 1138 01:08:26,280 --> 01:08:29,040 Speaker 1: Right here on the podcast on Thanks Dad with Ago Wodem. Yes, 1139 01:08:29,080 --> 01:08:30,200 Speaker 1: and you have been Billy Porter. 1140 01:08:30,360 --> 01:08:33,240 Speaker 2: This is real, So y'all can hear the whole thing. 1141 01:08:33,840 --> 01:08:37,559 Speaker 2: You can? Yes, I'm extra and why are you not? 1142 01:08:37,960 --> 01:08:40,559 Speaker 2: And you're not a enough all of the things. I'm 1143 01:08:40,560 --> 01:08:42,360 Speaker 2: extra and you're not all of the things. 1144 01:08:42,400 --> 01:08:49,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, I will you know what I mean like it's like, yeah, 1145 01:08:49,360 --> 01:08:50,200 Speaker 3: you know what I mean. 1146 01:08:50,120 --> 01:08:51,400 Speaker 2: I do know. That's what I'm here. 1147 01:08:51,920 --> 01:08:54,519 Speaker 1: I have to have you back on the Please you 1148 01:08:54,520 --> 01:08:56,880 Speaker 1: have to do a part too, please, I want to 1149 01:08:56,920 --> 01:08:57,439 Speaker 1: I want. 1150 01:08:57,240 --> 01:08:57,720 Speaker 2: To check in. 1151 01:08:57,960 --> 01:09:02,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, all right, Billy, I love you to do 1152 01:09:02,720 --> 01:09:05,600 Speaker 1: that was that? Was it? Because I wanted to just 1153 01:09:05,640 --> 01:09:10,240 Speaker 1: ask how you handled the trolls handled Yeah, that's. 1154 01:09:10,280 --> 01:09:14,360 Speaker 3: Yes, Yes, that's how I handled the trolls. I handled 1155 01:09:14,360 --> 01:09:15,439 Speaker 3: the trolls. 1156 01:09:15,000 --> 01:09:22,760 Speaker 2: On by living Okay, okay, okay, I keep living and 1157 01:09:22,800 --> 01:09:24,240 Speaker 2: I keep thriving. 1158 01:09:23,960 --> 01:09:27,559 Speaker 1: And you do, yeah, and you really do. Yeah, Billy, 1159 01:09:27,640 --> 01:09:30,320 Speaker 1: I'm so glad you're alive. Thank you for coming you 1160 01:09:31,120 --> 01:09:40,280 Speaker 1: delight and okay, that was my talk with Billy Porter. 1161 01:09:40,680 --> 01:09:44,200 Speaker 1: How inspiring. I feel so inspired. And I was right, 1162 01:09:44,840 --> 01:09:48,679 Speaker 1: it's the kuchie. It's usually the kuchie. If you want 1163 01:09:48,800 --> 01:09:51,000 Speaker 1: advice from me and my next guest, you could have 1164 01:09:51,000 --> 01:09:54,160 Speaker 1: had advice from Billy Porter. If someone had called and 1165 01:09:54,240 --> 01:09:56,400 Speaker 1: told us some tea, you could have gotten advice from 1166 01:09:56,439 --> 01:09:58,519 Speaker 1: me and Billy Porter. And I think Billy would have 1167 01:09:58,520 --> 01:09:59,360 Speaker 1: given good advice. 1168 01:09:59,400 --> 01:09:59,880 Speaker 2: I just get this. 1169 01:10:00,320 --> 01:10:02,720 Speaker 1: But anyway, if you want advice, call five zero two 1170 01:10:02,760 --> 01:10:05,559 Speaker 1: eight four nine three two three seven five zero two 1171 01:10:05,640 --> 01:10:08,679 Speaker 1: eight four nine three two three seven five zero two. 1172 01:10:09,080 --> 01:10:14,360 Speaker 1: Thanks THHX Dads, What a beautiful day, What a beautiful day. 1173 01:10:15,160 --> 01:10:18,000 Speaker 1: Please tune in next time. I love you, next time. 1174 01:10:18,160 --> 01:10:19,040 Speaker 1: Bye bye. 1175 01:10:19,960 --> 01:10:20,479 Speaker 2: Thanks Dad. 1176 01:10:20,520 --> 01:10:22,680 Speaker 1: Is a production of Will Ferrell's Big Money Players and 1177 01:10:22,760 --> 01:10:26,680 Speaker 1: iHeart Podcasts. I'm your host Aego wodem Our producer is 1178 01:10:26,800 --> 01:10:31,880 Speaker 1: Kevin Bartelt and our executive producer is Matt Appadaka