There is only one Billy Porter. He is blazing a trail where none existed. Whether you noticed the brilliant blaze early (for me, it was his brilliant 2005 live album, At the Corner of Broadway and Soul) or his transcendent portrayal of Lola in Kinky Boots or the unforgettable Pray Tell on Pose, once you see the light, there’s no going back. And it turns out his voice rings just as true on the page as it does on the stage. How lucky we are to witness it in our time.”—Lin-Manuel Miranda
“Angels show us the way through even the darkest tunnels. In this heartbreaking and hilarious tell-ALL, Billy lights a torch so bright he can save us all!”—Renée Elise Goldsberry
“At once harrowing and triumphant, relevant and necessary, Unprotected takes us on a journey of using art to heal trauma. What a magical journey to behold, and one that cracks open the space for others to heal too.”—Ryan Murphy
“I have had the honor of knowing Billy since I was eighteen and just arriving at our mutual alma mater, CMU, where he walked into our classroom and showed enough strength and charisma to fill ten Radio City Music Halls. Unprotected is an opportunity for everyone to feel the same inspiration, love, awe, and explosiveness that I felt.”—Josh Gad
“Collaborating with Billy has been one of the greatest joys of my career. Billy embodies everything a true artist really is. His passion for being his authentic self is something most should aspire to. Just to experience his presence is an absolute honor. He is a real class act, and I’m lucky to be able to create for such an iconic and empowering person.”—Christian Siriano
“Bold, hilarious, honest, and singular. Words once assigned to Billy as an entertainer will now be attributed to him as a writer. Unprotected is a record of survival, commitment to authenticity, and healing; a road map out of hell.”—Leslie Odom, Jr.
“Haunting and inspirational, this is both a powerful indictment of the lasting harms of bigotry and an immensely moving account of moving forward.”—Publishers Weekly STARRED Review
There is only one Billy Porter. He is blazing a trail where none existed. Whether you noticed the brilliant blaze early (for me, it was his brilliant 2005 live album, At the Corner of Broadway and Soul) or his transcendent portrayal of Lola in Kinky Boots or the unforgettable Pray Tell on Pose, once you see the light, there’s no going back. And it turns out his voice rings just as true on the page as it does on the stage. How lucky we are to witness it in our time.
Bold, hilarious, honest, and singular. Words once assigned to Billy as an entertainer will now be attributed to him as a writer. Unprotected is a record of survival, commitment to authenticity, and healing; a road map out of hell.
I have had the honor of knowing Billy since I was eighteen and just arriving at our mutual alma mater, CMU, where he walked into our classroom and showed enough strength and charisma to fill ten Radio City Music Halls. Unprotected is an opportunity for everyone to feel the same inspiration, love, awe, and explosiveness that I felt.
Collaborating with Billy has been one of the greatest joys of my career. Billy embodies everything a true artist really is. His passion for being his authentic self is something most should aspire to. Just to experience his presence is an absolute honor. He is a real class act, and I’m lucky to be able to create for such an iconic and empowering person.
At once harrowing and triumphant, relevant and necessary, Unprotected takes us on a journey of using art to heal trauma. What a magical journey to behold, and one that cracks open the space for others to heal too.
Angels show us the way through even the darkest tunnels. In this heartbreaking and hilarious tell-ALL, Billy lights a torch so bright he can save us all!
Angels show us the way through even the darkest tunnels. In this heartbreaking and hilarious tell-ALL, Billy lights a torch so bright he can save us all!
★ 10/01/2021
Television and stage star Porter opens his soul in this memoir about his life and career, from his childhood in Pittsburgh, to his recent award-winning roles in the stage musical Kinky Boots and on the FX series Pose. Porter writes candidly about growing up Black and gay, his current fears about living during the time of Trump and the COVID-19 pandemic, and how his own hard work, luck, and the generosity of others provided the stepping stones for his current success. Reflecting on the title of the book, Porter tells of moments in his life when he felt unprotected, as both a child and an adult. His fearlessness in discussing the darker parts of his past (including sexual abuse by his stepfather and being diagnosed with HIV) is remarkable, but equally as impressive is the narrative of his decades-long dedication to hone his talent and make a space for himself in a racist and homophobic entertainment industry and society. VERDICT This memoir, as exceptional as Porter himself, should please not only devotees of the actor and his work but readers interested in a story of perseverance in the face of overwhelming odds.—Kathleen McCallister, William & Mary Libs., Williamsburg, VA
2021-09-08
Debut memoir from the celebrated actor and singer, who has won Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards.
Growing up in the 1970s in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, which had “been a center of Black life in Pittsburgh for more than a century,” Porter felt like “an outcast” and was mercilessly bullied. Although recognized for his "clear and open-throated gospel boy soprano" in the Friendship Baptist Church Choir, "every time I showed up at church, the sermon would turn to the abomination of homosexual activity, of men lying with men. There was no apparent reason for this topic to surface so relentlessly. I couldn’t help feeling that somehow they knew about me." He also suffered sexual abuse by his stepfather twice a week for five years. However, blessed with a powerful voice, flair for auditioning, and relentless work ethic, Porter worked his way to the very pinnacles of his profession. He won Best Actor in a Musical for his role in Kinky Boots in addition to an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his work on the TV show Pose. Porter doesn't conceal his many struggles along the way, including bankruptcy and living with diabetes and HIV. He focuses more on his triumphs, such as his sensational appearance as red carpet co-host at the 2019 Academy Awards or his entrance to the 2019 Met Gala, when he arrived on a litter carried by six shirtless men in a "Sun God" ensemble that included "a bejeweled catsuit outfitted with 10-foot wings [and] a 24-karat gold headpiece." Throughout, the author intersperses italicized passages that explore present-day issues, including the pandemic, but these attempts at timeliness are upstaged by his remarkable life story. Porter’s passionate support for music and art programs in public schools, as well as gay rights activism, are clear, but his first duty has always been to his work. "Your service is leaning into your truth," he advises, "your queerness, your authenticity."
Overcoming racism, homophobia, bullying, and abuse, a theatrical star is born.
