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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: BruceinIthaca 02:28 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - PlayWiz 01:10 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| I tend not to approach celebrities, out of shyness and a kind of respect (and I'm not talking about the kind of event where you have both been invited and, presumably, there is an expectation of social politeness). One time I i was leaving a theatre after a performance; the woman sitting next to us who nodded apologetically as she checked her phone and then got up and made way, looked familiar. I blurted out, "Are you Kate Burton?" She looked puzzled but averred she was and we had a nice chat. She invited my husband and me to be her guests at a dress rehearsal for "The Dead." It's not like we became best friends forever, but she was thoughtful and genuine. I'd always liked her onstage--now I knew she was a decent, kind person. And she did a hell of a job as Gretta in "The Dead"! The funniest I ever saw was at "The Testament of Mary," when I was walking onstage during the pre-show (when the audience was invited to examine the shrine). A tall, familiar, beautiful older woman was walking my way. Two matrons standing in front of me buzzed about who she was. As she passed, one turned to her and said, "Are you Dorothy McGuire?" The woman, startled, said, "No! Isn't she dead." "For some years, now, Miss Burstyn," I said. We smiled and each walked on our way. |
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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 05:21 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - BruceinIthaca 02:28 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| I'm sorry but until Pose, Billy Porter was not a celebrity. He was a well known-to-theater-people Tony winner, and before that just a working actor (which he still is). So prior to being a famous TV and red-carpet and social media star, he was by no one's definition a "celebrity" that one should treat as a celebrity. But unless you're Oprah ... if you're at a party for a theater show that people are invited to by those involved, you should not expect anyone to treat you like you're above everyone else and not approach you or speak to you if they don't already know you. It doesn't sound like he was being hounded by random fans on the street here. Who knows what was going on in his head that moment or that night... but if what was described is accurate, this was on Billy... who was definitely not a celebrity at that time... if that even should matter (which I do think depends on the situation). |
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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: tedlefdes 10:50 am EDT 03/23/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - Chazwaza 05:21 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| Thirty years ago, Billy won the Male Singer category for the 1992 season of Star Search hosted by Ed McMahon, less than a year after completing his conservatory training at Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama; his performance starts at 7:17 in the attached | |
| Link | Star Search 1992 Finals winner |
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| Just a working actor? | |
| Last Edit: KingSpeed 05:52 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 05:47 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - Chazwaza 05:21 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| Billy was absolutely a celebrity before Pose. In addition to his high profile theater gigs, he made several appearances on Rosie and The Tonight Show. He released an album and one of the songs “Love Is On The Way” was on the soundtrack for “The First Wives Club” and it got radio play. He also had principal roles in the movies “Twisted” and “The Broken Hearts Club.” He was also a guest on Oprah in 2005. Then his career did slow down before hitting with Kinky Boots which led to Pose and a revival of his career. | |
| Link | “Love is on the Way” |
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| re: Just a working actor? | |
| Posted by: Chazwaza 08:08 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: Just a working actor? - KingSpeed 05:47 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| Apologies, and all due respect to you and Billy.... but nothing you've said in this post comes close to convincing me that he was at the level of "celebrity" prior to Kinky Boots. But even with Kinky Boots, starring in a hit show or even winning a Tony, your level of fame can be pretty contained compared to the kind of "celebrity" that would be expecting to be treated like a movie star with fans and paparazzi around them often. I've worked with and interacted with an truly massive number of theater stars and tv stars and movie stars, both the ones I'd call "celebrities" and ones that are like Billy pre-Kinky Boots and also post Tony win but pre-Pose. I don't think any of them, including the true A-listers I've worked with, would do what that post describes Billy doing at that private party to someone invited to be there. | |
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| re: Just a working actor? | |
| Posted by: BruceinIthaca 07:45 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: Just a working actor? - KingSpeed 05:47 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| Well, a celebrity to pretty small demographic, I'd say. I always thought him talented--loved him on the revival CD of "Grease." But I found his acting wooden and pretty one-note on "Pose" (a show I was not all that fond of--and I did love "Paris is Burning" and had friends who died of AIDS, as well as some (hurrah) who continue to live thirty years later to tell the tale, so it's not like I have no consciousness about the issues). That he won an Emmy for it didn't surprise me--awards often go to a person for what their role or show signifies at that moment in the culture, as much as anything. I think he was known primarily by show queens and fans of indie gay movies (I am both). So, depends on where you draw the line at celebrity. Heck, I know someone who goes by the name C-List Actor" on a website and he is heralded as a celebrity there (and is well-liked, including by me.) | |
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| re: Just a working actor? | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 07:52 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Just a working actor? - BruceinIthaca 07:45 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| That’s sweet, Bruce. Makes my day. | |
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| re: Just a working actor? | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 05:54 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: Just a working actor? - KingSpeed 05:47 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| Another fun link when he was in the closet but very much a well known singer. | |
| Link | Show Me |
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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: AlexanderKat 04:49 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - BruceinIthaca 02:28 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| My most memorable encounter with someone I'd always enjoyed was with Joan Rivers. It was back in the seventies and I approached her to ask if a TV movie she had written titled, "The Girl Most Likely To..." would be repeated on TV. She loudly replied, "Write those sons of bitches at ABC! Since Stockard Channing has been signed to star in a film with Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson (THE FORTUNE) the network has decided to hold back on repeating the movie for whatever reasons." I mentioned to her that I had made reservations to see her at Ye Little Club in Beverly Hills the following week and was looking forward to seeing her. She told me to mention a very simple name when I was being seated at the club. I said okay I'd remember it yet she literally hit me in the arm and said, "Write it down! Write it down! which I of course did. As soon as I was seated at the club, a bottle of champagne arrived compliments of Ms. Rivers. After the show, the waiter told us Ms. Rivers had taken care of the check and invited us backstage to say hello. Standing in her dressing room were dear Florence Henderson and smarmy Roddy McDowell (who also did the slow Porter head-to-toe routine). Ms. Rivers was seated at her vanity table and asked me to sit in a chair next to her. She was full of questions and wanted to know all about me. I mentioned I was born and raised in NY and she lit up and said, "A New Yorker!, I knew there was something about you I liked." She couldn't have been more gracious and kind. A truly wonderful evening. So to the OP, my advice is to continue letting people you admire know how much you've appreciated them. Hopefully, the unpleasant Porter experience was simply a case of "one bad apple don't spoil the whole darn bunch." |
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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Last Edit: mikem 11:56 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| Posted by: mikem 11:54 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - AlexanderKat 04:49 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| My general stance is not to say anything to people who probably spend their whole day being stopped and recognized, but I might say something complimentary to someone who probably hardly gets recognized at all. I happened to be sitting behind John Doyle at the theater one day, at a production he was unaffiliated with, and before the show, I told him how much I admired his production of Sweeney Todd, which was playing at that time. He was very gracious. When I apologized for bothering him, he said something along the lines of, "Why would it bother me to have someone say nice things about my work?" Of course, if you're someone like Daniel Radcliffe or Hugh Jackman, where people are looking for your attention all day long, that probably gets old. But before Pose, Billy Porter was not getting stopped regularly on the street outside of the theater district. And before Kinky Boots, he probably wasn't getting recognized regularly in the theater district, either. But even if he had been, he still didn't have any reason to be so rude as he was to the OP. oz2252, I'm sorry that happened. As others have said, that episode is much more about him than about you. |
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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: mattyp4 11:46 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - AlexanderKat 04:49 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| That story was INCREDIBLE!! You're very fortunate. Thank you for sharing with us! | |
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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 06:54 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - AlexanderKat 04:49 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| I'm enjoying reading about all of these celebrity encounters -- positive and negative. But yours was especially lovely, A'Kat! What a wonderful memory you must treasure to this day! | |
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| re: Billy Porter | |
| Posted by: ms721 03:33 am EDT 03/23/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - DistantDrumming 06:54 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| a number of years ago (pre-pandemic, but during/post kinky boots, i think), i was walking down 8th ave towards 43rd street and noticed a pair of gorgeous shoes. since the person was right next to me at the light and was not with anyone i could see or on a phone or anything, i said something "gorgeous shoes". didn't get a thank you or a polite nod, but rather a look that seemed to imply i was something that disgusting that crawled on their pretty outfit. it wasn't until after they had walked away that i even realized it was Mr. Porter. |
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| re: this story about Joan Rivers | |
| Posted by: Guillaume 06:09 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
| In reply to: re: Billy Porter - AlexanderKat 04:49 pm EDT 03/21/22 | |
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| is one of the most touching things I've ever read on this board in many years of reading posts. What a wonderful story; she was such a great classy lady. | |
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