Billy Porter joked about a teleprompter glitch before receiving his award at the Tony Awards 2024. The actor took the stage to sing James Cleveland’s “I Don’t Feel Nobody’s Tired” during the 2024 Tony Awards Act One pre-show on Sunday. He then quickly asked for his phone to read his speech after accepting the 2024 Isabelle Stevenson Award.
Billy Porter demands to give live speech after teleprompter mishap
Noticing that his prepared speech was not available on the teleprompter, Porter said live that he needed his phone. He looked around, pointing offstage and saying, “Where’s my speech, kids? Somebody has my phone. Somebody has my speech. Time’s running out!”
In his speech, Porter, 54, said that he is grateful and humbled to receive the award, adding that he grew up in a world where he was told that he was not worth anything because of who he was. Hence, he mentioned that it is a miracle that he is in front of everyone.
“I came out as gay in 1985, when I was 16,” Porter said in his speech. “And as we all know, and many of us in this room have experienced, we went straight to the front lines for the fight of our lives.”
Porter remembered his late mother in his speech
She dedicated the last part of her speech to her mother Clorinda. “This moment is dedicated to my mother, Clorinda Jean Johnson Porter-Ford, who passed away last February. She instilled in my sister and me a purpose and a love bigger than ourselves, and she believed in unconditional love,” Billie said.
Why was Billy Porter given the Isabelle Stevenson Award?
This year, the Emmy winner is given the Isabelle Stevenson Award for her extraordinary dedication and contributions as an activist and spokesperson for the LGBTQ+ communities, including her work with the Entertainment Community Fund and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF), among other organizations.
According to the official announcement about Porter’s award, the Isabelle Stevenson Award is presented annually to a member of the theatre community who has made a substantial contribution of voluntary time and effort on behalf of one or more humanitarian, social service or charitable organizations.
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