To say that Emmy Award nominee Billy Porter ‘dropped by’ The Late Late Show with James Corden on Wednesday could be one of the great understatements of the week.
After his fellow guest, Kirsten Dunst, entered through the show’s curtains looking lovely as ever and took a seat on the interview couch, Corden introduced the POSE star.
Enter Hurricane Billy.
Adorned in a gold lamé cape (which became wings a la his Met gala fashion statement), Porter made his way down the stairs towards the stage only to u-turn and head back behind the curtains.
Sporting a new rainbow robe and a bouquet of roses, Porter re-emerged to make his way through the audience again.
And he’s not done yet!
Dropping the robe to reveal a purple, glitter jumpsuit, Porter runs to the band to shake a tambourine like a pro. He’s then carried on a platform, in Cleopatra-style, to the stage by two shirtless muscle hunks.
The crowd goes wild, but Corden – feigning outrage that time has been taken from Ms. Dunst – dismisses Porter from the stage.
“Fine, James, fine!” says Porter as he exits.
But wait – there’s more!
As Corden attempts to interview Dunst, music swirls, curtains open and Porter launches into a spectacular disco-tastic performance of Gloria Gaynor’s iconic “I Will Survive.”
Watch Billy Porter’s lesson in how to make an entrance below.
In a later segment, Porter is back on the couch as Corden asks the Tony Award winner about turning 50 this Saturday, just a day before he could make history as the first openly gay black man to win an Emmy Award for ‘Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama.’
“I feel great,” says Porter. “I have to say, everything that people say about getting older, that it gets better – is the truth.”
“I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been, I’m experiencing a type of success that I didn’t even know how to dream of,” he added. “It’s really, really remarkable.”
“And – the best part about it is – once you get to a certain age you have zero f*cks to give about anything or anybody! Period.”
“It’s the greatest feeling in the world – the shackles are off,” he declared. “Say what you want – I’m gonna do me, and I’m gonna do it ’til I’m dead!”
Make sure to tune in to the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday night, September 22, at 8 pm ET on Fox.
