It’s been about three weeks since Billy Porter came for Harry Styles and Vogue in regards to that "historic" cover. Which he’s now clarifying is a conversation much bigger than Harry, offering an apology to the musician for "having your name in my mouth.”
During his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to discuss his new memoir Unprotected, Billy shed some light on his recent comments and shared that he was actually quite surprised at how it all "blew up" the way they did. Apologizing to Styles for dragging him into it, saying, "Harry Styles, I apologize to you for having your name in my mouth. It's not about you. The conversation is not about you."
Not sure how you could have, but in case you missed it, in November of last year Styles made history as the first man to appear solo on the cover of Vogue. And not only that, but he did so in a dress, shattering gender norms with his non-binary fashion choices.
Fast forward to October of this year when Billy, who besides being an outstanding actor is known for his groundbreaking gender-fluid fashion statements, shaded the magazine’s cover choice, for the lack of representation — claiming, "I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it," and saying, "all he has to do is be white and straight."
But as Billy told Colbert, "The conversation is actually deeper than that. It is about the systems of oppression and erasure of people of color who contribute to the culture. Now, that's a lot to unpack. I'm willing to unpack it, sans the dragging and cancel culture of the Internet, because I do not now, nor will ever, adjudicate my life or humanity in sound bites on social media."
Concluding his statement on a lighter note, the actor quipped, "So, when you're ready to have the real conversation, call a bitch. Okay? I'm ready to have it!"
Continuing to be his typical humorous self, he addressed Harry once more, saying (in true Billy Porter fashion might we add), "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean no harm. I'm a gay man. We like Harry, he's cute!"
Check out Billy’s entire Late Show interview below.
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