Before Tituss Burgess “pinot noir”-ed his way to cult stardom in “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” as the flamboyant roommate of the titular character, he was a Broadway performer — and even before that, he was an advocate for the LGBT community.
Now with a bigger mic, Burgess was scheduled to be in Washington on June 8 for a block party raising money for homeless LGBT youth. He helped unveil a new mosaic in Freedom Plaza whose theme is LoveTravels, the campaign by Marriott International to support lesbian and gay travel.
We caught up with him before his visit to chat about his faith, pride and why his couch is so important.
You’re coming to D.C. on the day where everyone will be watching the Comey testimony — what beverage do you recommend for watching it: pinot noir or lemonade?
I would have all of those, given that it’s going to go all day!
So Titus Andromedon is pretty much a walking Pride parade. How are you celebrating this year?
When I walk out my door, I celebrate it. I rally and go to parades in June, but for me June extends all year round by not hiding. Look, I’m not a 32 waist. I represent more of my community. It can be hard to find your place in an image-driven world, but it’s all about loving yourself and being who you came to this planet to be.
Even though your character is this completely outrageous one, his experiences with coming out and navigating life as a gay man feel very real — how much do they mirror your own?
His experience doesn’t resemble mine at all — I came out to my mom at 19, and I’ve built my life on being frank and not hiding. But Titus looks like a lot of people I know. His life resembles a lot of people — living in New York or just chasing your dreams — I think a lot of people understand that.
The show has so many one-liners and catchphrases — is there one you use in your real life?
Oh, it’s so hard to choose, because Tina and Robert do this thing where they tuck away all these gems, and you almost have to go back to get them all. The show on the whole is like … some kind of a Batman symbol of resilience and not accepting circumstances and creating a new future for yourself.
What travel destination is on your bucket list?
This is going to be a boring answer because I hate to travel. My dream destination is my couch.
The event helps raise money for homeless LGBT youth — what draws you to that cause?
My church has a whole department related to raising money and awareness about this very thing, so it was a no-brainer. I wrote an album called “Welcome,” back when I didn’t have two pennies to rub together, with all the proceeds going to the cause.
Tell me about your church.
It’s Middle Collegiate Church. It was important to me to find a place that didn’t use the Bible as a weapon of mass destruction, but rather as weapon of mass inclusion. It took a while — I grew up in the church. I directed the choir. I wanted to find a place whose sole agenda was human beings, taking care of human beings. It’s alarming how rare that is.
You’re going to be in Freedom Plaza, which isn’t all that far from the White House. What do you want President Donald Trump and his administration to hear?
I don’t need them to hear anything. What Marriott is doing — spreading a message that we are welcome and that they will not tolerate anything but respect — is enough. We just need to show up. That’s the message. There’s enough hardcore fighting and hate and “alternative facts” — this is about love and inclusivity and sanctuary.
