Tituss Burgess, the Emmy-nominated actor and star of "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," has been open and candid about his weight loss journey, revealing that he underwent cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin after his weight fluctuated. Burgess first debuted his new look via Instagram in September 2020 and later discussed it during an interview with E!'s Emmys 2020 pre-show.
"A Few Arrangements": Burgess Reveals His "Nip-Tuck"
Burgess shared that he had "some nip-tuck" and "a few arrangements" when it came to his new look. During an E! News "Red Carpet From Home" pre-Emmy event, Burgess said, "I'mma tell you the truth. I had a few arrangements." On further explanation, he added, "That's exactly what I had, a few Walter Mercado arrangements." He was referring to Walter Mercado, the late Puerto Rican astrologer featured in a recent Netflix documentary who spoke openly about his plastic surgeries, which he called "little arrangements."
Burgess told SiriusXM’s Bevy Smith that he wasn’t always sure that he would be open about going under the knife. “Before I was about to have it, and shortly after I had it, I didn’t know if I was going to speak on it at all,” Burgess said.
Addressing Weight Fluctuations and Excess Skin
Burgess explained that his decision to undergo cosmetic surgery was influenced by his weight going "up and down." "The one thing I wanted to do during this time off was have some nip-tuck because my weight has gone up and down. And so after that happens, the skin gets a little saggy or whatever so I got that s--- cut off," he said. He added that he’d done a lot of work to get healthy and keep up his exercise routine but opted for cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin and “things that just were not going to move no matter what I did.”
Embracing Honesty and Self-Love
Burgess emphasized the importance of honesty and self-acceptance throughout his weight loss journey. "I have nothing to hide! I even talked about it on social media," he stated. He told SiriusXM’s Bevy Smith, “I thought this would be dishonest if I were not to come forward and say to all these people who look at me as a source of inspiration or holding oneself accountable, or however you want to call it.”
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Burgess said, “I’m done. I got to give myself this gift,” explaining that he wanted to “have a different conversation with myself in the morning when I wake up and look in the mirror,” as well as when he worked out. “So I got rid of it and I look amazing,” Burgess exclaimed.
Red Carpet Debut and Fan Reactions
Burgess debuted his slimmed-down look at the Emmy Awards, sporting a red tracksuit with shorts by Lee Rickie Collection and shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. His new look garnered massive amounts of attention from fans, the media, and even his "Kimmy Schmidt" co-stars. Ellie Kemper, who played Kimmy Schmidt on the show, commented "WHATTTTTTTT 😍😍😍😍😍" on Burgess's Instagram post. Musician Sean Bradford commented, "Yes Tituss love this look" on Instagram.
More Than Just Physical Transformation
Burgess's weight loss journey is about more than just physical transformation; it's about self-love, acceptance, and inspiring others. He released an EP back in 2019 called "Saint Titus," and following the album release, he unleashed an incredibly powerful music video for the song "Learn to Love." The song featured Daniel J.
"I am proud to have found the strength to be vulnerable, because that's where I get to make a difference," Burgess said. "I hope it helps people to realize they are not alone. We all have to work toward recognizing what makes us different is what makes us special. These imperfections that we often see as things to hide - moles, wrinkles, stretch marks, scars - these are stories. Blemishes of beauty. With this video, I wish to help people realize that they are beautiful and deserving of love."
Navigating 2020: Family and Connection
While showing off his new look, Burgess also shared some advice for how to endure a difficult year during the pandemic.
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"I would say the more you can carve out time to spend with your family, the more you can carve out time to make a meal and share it with others that you love," he said. "I think 2020 is sort of an ambush into keeping those who are close to you even closer, and I think that's the takeaway."
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