Tituss Burgess Slams Andy Cohen After Awkward TV Show Appearance: He Should ‘Learn How to Do His Job’
*Cringe.* Tituss Burgess slammed Andy Cohen after the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt actor appeared on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Sunday, July 28. During the segment, Andy, 51, asked Tituss, 40, about working with Eddie Murphy on the upcoming film, Dolemite Is My Name. “Did you get to chat with him at all?” the Bravo personality asked. “He was very problematic for the gays at one point when I was coming up.”
Eddie previously made some homophobic jokes about gays and AIDS early on his career and, they were featured in his 1983HBO Special called Delirious. Ultimately, the comedian apologized for his statements in 1996. “I deeply regret any pain all this has caused,” the San Francisco Gate reported at the time. “I know how serious an issue AIDS is the world over. I know that AIDS isn’t funny. It’s 1996, and I’m a lot smarter about AIDS now.”
Titus replied, “Of course I did. Why wouldn’t I? Oh, I see he wasn’t problematic for Tituss, and we had a wonderful time. We talked about Dreamgirls, and he should have won the Oscar, I believe. Any troubles he had with gay people are gone because he loved me.” The Georgia native then looked like he was mouthing something to someone off-camera, and Andy picked up on it. “What are you saying, Tituss?” he asked. “Keep going, girl. Do your show,” Tituss quipped.
Afterward, the Broadway veteran elaborated about the awkward moment on Instagram. “She can be a messy queen! Yes, I said it!” he exclaimed. “Don’t care he knows it either! He should remember his talk show isn’t an episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta! It’s a place where artists come to talk about art and have a little fun. NOT a place to rehash old rumors or bring a star negative press. Sunday was a display of ratchet behavior by a well-connected man having blatant disregard for one of his guests.”
Tituss explained that the dad of one should have done his research prior to the show. “If only time were taken to know who I am and not assuming that I am the character I play on TV, he would know how to conduct a proper interview with at all! I received four Emmy nominations for acting! NOT for being myself. He was lucky I had my wits and Christian values THAT day. Always keep it classy.”
The singer ended the note by dissing the host. “Being friends with other talented celebrities doesn’t make you talented, it makes you friends with other famous celebrities!” he said. “He should rip a page from Anderson Cooper and learn how to do his job.”
Tituss also shared on his Instagram Stories why he didn’t want to talk about any drama with Eddie. “We all have pasts! The worst kind of human is a human that forgets they have one and proceeds to zero in on something you have moved on and learned from,” he wrote. “I wanted no part of that. My future is bright, and light is what I intend to bring. Hold on to your seats, cause the movie I got to make with a living legend is going to re-educate/remind/and introduce to someone in the world why Mr. Murphy is the true king of comedy. I sat back and took copious notes while filming my first major motion picture. It’s an honor to be in a film making it’s Toronto Film Festival debut.”
The next day, the Missouri native spoke about the tension on his Sirius XM radio show, Andy Cohen Live. “He wasn’t having me,” he confessed. “What can I tell you? From the jump. I was trying, but no idea.”
Andy revealed that even before the two went out on stage, it was uncomfortable. “He ran out of there. Did not sign the guest book — he ran out,” he said. “He was like, ‘He knows I was here.’ That’s what he said to the person who asks to sign the guest book. It was something else, alright.”
Despite the drama, it seems like Andy isn’t taking anything too personally. “He made an entertaining show, I’ll tell you that,” he said. “Sometimes it’s fun to watch the show when the guest hates the host.”
Entertaining, indeed!
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