>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY!
PREPARE YOURSELF.
MY NEXT GUEST IS A TONY AND GRAMMY AWARD-WINNER, A FASHION
ICON, AND THE STAR OF FX'S "POSE."
PLEASE WELCOME TO "THE LAT SHOI," MR. BILLY PORTER.
>> HI!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> WORKING OUT!
OH, MY GOODNESS!
I'M ON "THE LATE SHOW""!
>> Stephen: ARE YOU.
THANK YOU FOR DRESSING APPROPRIATELY, OKAY.
>> LISTEN, LISTEN, SHE'S A FASHION ICON NOW.
THERE'S AN EXPECTATION!
>> Stephen: YES.
>> SO I HAVE TO SHOW UP APPROPRIATELY.
>> Stephen: I-- I-- I AM SO GLAD YOU ACTUALLY WORE SOMETHING
AS DYNAMIC AS, THAT BECAUSE I'M A FAN OF YOUR RED CARPET WORK.
>> MY RED CARPET WORK.
>> Stephen: THIS IS WORK.
YOU'RE WORKING IT.
>> THAT IS WORK.
>> Stephen: YOU'RE NOT WORKING IT HERE?
>> I AM WORKING IT.
THIS IS THE OSCARS THIS YEAR.
LOOK AT THAT EXTRAORDINARY--
THAT IS-- THIS IS-- THIS IS-- THIS IS AT THIS YEAR'S MET GAL
AWHICH ALWAYS HAS-- >> NO, IT'S ON CAMP!
>> Stephen: IT'S ON CAMP THIS YEAR.
>> SUSAN SONTAG, NOTES ON CAMP.
>> Stephen: THEY'RE ALWAYS A LITTLE EXTRAVAGANT.
>> IT'S ALWAYS APPROPRIATE THOUGH.
MY CHOICES ARE APPROPRIATE.
>> Stephen: THIS IS ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE.
TAKE YOU STRAIGHT TO THE TEMPLE OF DENDER RIGHT THERE.
>> THE GOD, THE GOD.
>> Stephen: HERE YOU ARE IN FULL BLOOM, FULL BLOORNLG RIGHT
THERE.
>> 10-FOOT WINGSPAN.
>> Stephen: AND THIS ACTUALLY HAS TO BE MY FAVORITE.
TELL ME ABOUT THIS NOW BEFORE I SHOW IT TO THE PEOPLE.
>> OKAY SO IT WAS FOR THE TONYS A COWL OF NIGHTS AGO.
AND IT WAS UP-CYCLED, IT IS UP-CYCLED MATERIAL, NOT
RECYCLED, UP-CYCLED COUTURE.
SO WE USED THE CURTAIN FROM "KINKY BOOTS" TO MAKE THIS
COUTURE GARMENT.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: DO YOU THINK-- DO YOU FEEL THAT-- DO YOU FEEL THAT
A FASHION MAKES A POLITICAL STATEMENT?
>> I THINK IT CAN.
YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN INTO FASHION.
AND I FEEL LIKE ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO GENDER.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE MOVED BEYOND THE IDEA THAT WOMEN WEARING PANTS IS
A PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, WOMEN WEARING -- >> Stephen: THANK YOU,
KATHARINE HEPBURN.
>> THANK YOU, KATHARINE HEPBURN.
WOMEN WEARING PANTS IS POWERFUL, IT'S STRONG, EVERYBODY ACCEPTS
IT AND IT'S SOCKED WITH THE PATRIARCHY.
IT'S ASSOCIATED WITH BEING MALE.
>> Stephen: YES.
>> THE MINUTE A MAN PUTS ON A DRESS, IT'S DISGUSTING.
SO WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
MEN ARE STRONG, WOMEN ARE DISGUSTING.
I'M NOT DOING THAT ANYMORE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
I'M A MAN IN A DRESS, AND IF I FEEL LIKE WEARING A DRESS, I'M
GOING TO WEAR ONE.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FORGET THAT JESUS WORE A DRESS, TOO.
THEY CALL THEM ROABZ BUT THEY ARE DRESSES.
>> Stephen: SIMPLE CINCH, SHOW OFF YOUR FIGURE.
>> YOU HAVE TO CINCH IT IN, SHOW OFF YOUR WAISTLINE.
>> Stephen: ALSO WASN'T AFRAID TO SHOW HIS ABS.
YOU STAR IN THE FX SERIES "POSE."
>> YES.
>> Stephen: IT CENTERED ON THE UNDERGROUND OF BALL CULTURE OF
THE 1980s, WHICH YOU WERE PART OF.
>> WELL, I WAS BALLROOM ADJACENT.
LET ME SAY THAT FOR REAL.
I MOVED TO NEW YORK CITY, I WAS DOING BROADWAY SHOWS, BUT I'M A
GAY BLACK MAN SO I DID ATTEND THE BECAUSE, BUT I WAS NOT IN
THE BALL S.
>> Stephen: YOU DIDN'T WALK IN THE BECAUSE.
>> I DIDN'T WALK IN THE BALLS.
BUT THE CULTURE IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CULTURE OF CHOSEN FAMILY.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S SO AGREEMENT ABOUT THE SHOW.
YOU KNOW, THE SHOW PRESENTS WHAT CHOSEN FAMILY LOOKS LIKE.
AND SOMETIMES OUR BIOLOGICAL FAMILIES ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO
LOVE US UNCONDITIONALLY IN THE WAYS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR US
TO THRIVE WHEN WE'RE L.G.B.T.Q.
PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, SO THE BALLROOM CULTURE IS A CULT THAT YOU ARE
CAME, THAT EMERGED OUT OF, YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE BEING THROWN
OUT OF THEIR HOUSES JUST BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE.
YOU KNOW, BUT WE FOUND OUR TRIBE.
WE FOUND OUR FAMILY.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE UPLIFT
EACH OTHER.
AND IT'S AMAZING.
IT'S AMAZING.
( APPLAUSE ).
>> Stephen: WELL, I-- I-- I WAS NOT PART OF THE VOGUE
CULTURE.
>> YOU WEREN'T?
>> Stephen: I MISSED THAT.
I MISSED IN THE 1990s.
I'M SORRY.
BUT I ADMIRE YOUR STYLE.
I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY BEAUTIFUL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> Stephen: AND I THINK THE SPIRIT WITH WHICH YOU EXPRESS
YOURSELF IS BEAUTIFUL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> Stephen: I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD HELP ME BE MORE BEAUTIFUL.
>> WELL, I BROUGHT SOME-- I BROUGHT SOME THINGS.
>> Stephen: WELL, I SAW-- THIS IS NOT OURS.
YOU BROUGHT THIS.
>> THIS IS ME.
>> Stephen: BECAUSE HERE'S THE THING.
WHILE I ADMIRE THE BEAUTIFUL WAY THAT YOU ARE DRESSED, I ALSO AM
KIND OF USED TO, LIKE, A MAN, I PUT ON A SUIT, AND I'M DONE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
>> Stephen: WHAT I CAN DO TO KICK IT UP A LITTLE BIT?
>> YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ACCESSORACCESSORIES THAT CAN SOR
PUMP IT UP A NOTCH, IF YOU WILL.
>> Stephen: I'M READY.
>> SO I KNOW THAT YOU WEAR GLASSES.
WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE THE SAME-- WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE
THE SAME PRESCRIPTION.
HOWEVER, I THINK, YOU KNOW, JUST TO GIVE IT A LITTLE... YOU KNOW.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) I'M NOT MAD ABOUT THAT.
NOW -- >> Stephen: I LIKE THIS.
I FEEL LIKE I'M A-- I FEEL LIKE I'M A STUNT MAN ON "ROCKET MAN."
>> EXACTLY, EXACTLY.
IT'S A THR THROWBACK TO THE ELTO JOHN DAYS.
>> Stephen: I LOVE IT.
>> I'M ALSO A HAT MAN.
I HAVE A WONDERFUL HAT THEY BOUGHT BACK IN 2000 WHEN I HAD
NO MONEY, AND I KNEW I WOULD NEED IT.
I SPENT $500 ON IT.
A PHILLIP TRACY HAT!
YOU KNOW, NOW, YOU'VE GOT TO-- YOU CAN'T PUT IT ON STRAIGHT.
YOU GOTTA COCK THAT ( BLEEP )-- YOU GOTTA COCK THAT TO THE SIDE
JUST LIKE THAT.
>> Stephen: THE-- THE HAT AND THE GLASSES ARE FIGHTING MY
FACE.
>> I KNOW.
( APPLAUSE ).
>.>> YOU LOOK IN THE MIRROR, YOU TAKE ONE THING OFF.
SO TAKE THE GLASSES OFF.
YOU CAN TAKE THE GLASSES OFF.
>> Stephen: NO, I'VE GOT TO KEEP THE GLASSES ON BECAUSE THEY
RUIN MY EYESIGHT SO MUCH THAT I ACTUALLY LOOK PRETTIER WITHOUT
BEING ABLE TO SEE.
>> YOU LOOK GOOD THAT THAT.
>> Stephen: YEAH, COME ON.
>> YOU WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE BOTTOM.
UP TO THE WALK A LITTLE BIT?
WE NEED A BEAT.
YOU GOING TO WALK WITH ME.
>> Stephen: I'LL WALK WITH YOU.
YOU.
>> YOU GOING TO WALK WITH ME?
HERE'S THE RUNWAY.
OH, SHOOT.
COME ON!
♪ ♪ ♪ NOW YOU TURN IT-- OH!
SHOOT!
♪ ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ ♪ >> OH, MY GOD.
>> Stephen: "POSE" AIRS TUESDAY NIGHTS ON FX.
BILLY PORTER, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ).
>> I LOVE YOU!