Billy Eichner Calls Out The Supreme Court In Powerful 2022 VMAs Monologue
Awards shows often serve as a space for celebrities to call attention to the causes they hold closest in their hearts. That certainly was the case for Billy Eichner at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards, but he was not the first to call attention to important political issues.
Pop star and chart topper Becky G made waves when she gave an emotional speech dedicated to her immigrant grandparents and all immigrant workers at the 2020 American Music Awards (via PopSugar). And music isn't the only space where political messages get intertwined into awards' acceptances. We can't forget Leonardo DiCaprio's 2016 Oscars win and subsequent speech that called for action to fight climate change. At the 2022 MTV VMAs, actor Billy Eichner — best known for his hilariously chaotic TV show "Billy on the Street" and voicing the meerkat Timon in Disney's live action "The Lion King" – took the stage and gave a heartfelt message to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Billy Eichner has a message for 'homophobes on the Supreme Court'
Actor Billy Eichner didn't mince words at the 2022 VMAs, calling out homophobia within the highest court in the U.S. Eichner graced the stage at the awards show to promote his upcoming LGBTQ+ romantic comedy "Bros," which has an entire principal cast of LGBTQ+ actors, according to Them. The movie comes out September 30, according to Eichner's speech. "We need to show all the homophobes like Clarence Thomas and all the homophobes on the Supreme Court that we want gay love stories and we support LGBTQ people," the actor said. "And we are not letting them drag us back into the last century, because they are in the past and 'Bros' is the future." The crowd cheered as Eichner referenced Justice Clarence Thomas, who wrote a concurring opinion to the overturning Roe v. Wade that brought into question the Constitutional right to same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage, according to MSNBC.
"Are you with me, VMAs?" Eichner asked the crowd as it roared with applause. Eichner, who has been open about his sexuality as a gay man, had the support and cheers of the crowds in-person and online. "So...I know what I'm doing on 9/30," one Twitter user wrote, referring to the "Bros" film's release date.