If a person says something terrible and then offers an apology after being scrutinized for it, is it really an apology?
That's the question onlookers couldn't help but ask after Patti LuPone issued a public apology on Instagram to Audra McDonald and Kecia Lewis following her problematic interview with The New Yorker.
In case you missed it, during her interview with The New Yorker, LuPone was reflecting on the many times in her life that she could have given in to failure, and while she did not, she admitted that "the battles had been unrelenting."
One of her examples of those "battles" was a time when she was in the stage production of The Roommate opposite Mia Farrow, and the stage shared a wall with another, much louder production, Hell's Kitchen, starring Kecia Lewis. In response to the noise, LuPone issued noise complaints, which directly impacted the other production.
Later, Lewis posted a video on Instagram, saying she wished to speak to LuPone "veteran to veteran" about her conduct on set, and she called LuPone's noise complaint an act of "bullying," "racially microaggressive," and "rooted in privilege" after calling "a Black show loud."
When this callout was mentioned during the interview, LuPone pushed back—not on the accusations, but on Lewis referring to herself as a "veteran."
"Oh, my god. Here's the problem. She calls herself a veteran? Let's find out how many Broadway shows Kecia Lewis has done, because she doesn't know what the f**k she's talking about."
"She's done seven. I've done thirty-one. Don't call yourself a vet, b***h."
The interviewer, Michael Schulman, pointed out that Audra McDonald, a Tony-decorated Broadway star, had commented with "supportive emojis," which LuPone scoffed at.
"Exactly. And I thought, 'You should know better.' That's typical of Audra. She's not a friend."
When the interview went live, Patti LuPone received a lot of attention for her candor, but none of it was good.
In fact, since LuPone, McDonald, and Lewis are all Tony-decorated and expected to appear at this year's Tony Awards, a petition calling for the producers of the Tony Awards to disinvite LuPone from the ceremony began to circulate.
The letter, in part, argued:
"No artist, producer, director, or leader, regardless of legacy or celebrity, should be allowed to weaponize their platform to belittle, threaten, or devalue others without consequence."
It also specifically noted LuPone's treatment of McDonald.
"To publicly attack a woman who has contributed to this art form with such excellence, leadership, and grace, and to discredit the legacy of Audra McDonald, the most nominated and awarded performer in Tony Award history, is not simply a personal offense."
"It is a public affront to the values of collaboration, equity, and mutual respect that our theater community claims to uphold."
Finally, the letter noted that behavior like this would not be tolerated in other spaces.
"This would not be tolerated in other industries. In 2021, the NFL fined the Washington Commanders $10 million and removed Dan Snyder from day-to-day operations after a toxic workplace culture came to light."
"Will Smith was banned from the Oscars for ten years after slapping a fellow artist during a live broadcast. These organizations acted swiftly to preserve their values and the integrity of their communities."
"Why should Broadway hold itself to a lower standard?"
The open letter quickly amassed more than 500 signatures.
In response, Patti LuPone issued a statement on Instagram, regretting her choice of words during the interview.
"For as long as I have worked in the theatre, I have spoken my mind and never apologized. That is changing today."
"I am deeply sorry for the words I used during The New Yorker interview, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful."
"I regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community. I hope to have the chance to speak to Audra [McDonald] and Kecia [Lewis] personally to offer my sincere apologies."
"I wholeheartedly agree with everything that was written in the open letter shared yesterday. From middle school drama clubs to professional stages, theatre has always been about lifting each other up and welcoming those who feel they don't belong anywhere else."
"I made a mistake, I take full responsibility for it, and I am committed to making this right. Our entire theatre community deserves better."
Onlookers were skeptical of LuPone's apology and stressed that only McDonald's and Lewis's reactions really counted.
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
@pattilupone/Instagram
It's not surprising that onlookers are skeptical about the sincerity of LuPone's apology.
It will be interesting to see what reaction McDonald and Lewis have to it following the release and signing of the open letter, and whether this will impact LuPone's attendance at the Tony Awards.
