Billy Porter Reflects on Racism and His Latest Play
Actor Billy Porter, known for his role in the play written by Harrison David Rivers, has recently made waves with his comments, labeling America as a “racist” nation reminiscent of “Nazi Germany.”
The play, This Bitter Earth, which Rivers penned in 2015, explores the dynamics between a gay Black man and his white boyfriend amidst the backdrop of the Black Lives Matter movement. Currently, Porter is directing a new staging of the play at Soho Theatre in London.
In a conversation with Pink News, both Porter and Rivers expressed that the themes of the play resonate just as strongly today as they did a decade ago. Porter referenced the classic WWII production, Cabaret, criticizing the outdated elements of the BLM narrative. He argues that the intensity of racial issues in America today mirrors those of Nazi Germany.
“It was originally written in response to Nazi Germany, and I’ve engaged with it as a historical piece for decades. Now, it’s as if America embodies Nazi Germany. It isn’t becoming; it already is, and in this context, Black people are the Jews,” Porter stated.
It’s notable that Porter seemed to overlook that much of the anti-Semitism in the U.S. has roots in the political left, a side he aligns with.
Rivers shared that he conceived the play while reflecting on societal changes regarding “Black bodies” in America during 2014. He recalled feeling unsafe in public spaces amid the BLM movement’s ascent.
Although he intended the play to serve as a time capsule from its time of creation (2012-2015), he notes that the nation hasn’t progressed as he had hoped. “My aspiration is that we would have reached a point where we can truly respect Black bodies as sacred. Is that not our goal?” he remarked.
He emphasized the pervasive hatred and misunderstandings that hinder conversations about these issues, stating, “People are hurting, and we need to address that.”
Rivers, however, hasn’t commented on the ambiguities surrounding the BLM movement’s future, nor has he addressed the controversies involving some leaders who have faced accusations of self-enrichment and mismanagement of donations meant for the cause.
