Billy Porter delighted TV critics from afar on Tuesday, though the “Pose” star also had a pretty profound message for us mixed in with lots of laughs.
Asked about his upcoming nude scene on the FX series, an episode that coincidentally airs tonight, the Emmy nominee began his answer with humor, seamlessly transitioned to a real message, and then signed off with another joke.
“Listen, listen to me. I got that contract and that contract said ‘Nudity Clause,’ and I literally sat and went, ‘Child, they don’t want to see my black ass,’” Porter recalled via satellite to reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour. “And I signed it, never thinking in a million years that anybody would call me on it.”
“These bitches wrote a script where I show my ass — and you’ll see it tonight!” he continued from Boston, where Porter is directing a play.
It got more sincere — and important — from there.
“I have been in this business…30 years. I have been out since the beginning,” Porter, who plays character Pray Tell on the series about 1980s New York City ball culture from Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy said. “In the past, as an out, queer actor, they generally tend to cut our d–ks off. We are not sexualized people.”
“Even when they started telling stories of love, they were always white boys. I have spent my entire career never having been an object of anyone’s affection in anything — until now,” he added. “I had my first kiss — my first romantic kiss — in anything ever in my life, last season in Episode 8. So, to be turning 50 on September 21, and having a very loving, connected sex scene is sort of blowing my mind.”
“My nerves are frayed, I’m gonna take a Valium and watch it tonight,” Porter concluded.
“Pose” airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on FX. In addition to Porter’s Emmy nod, “Pose” is also nominated in the drama series category.