Matthew Tyler Vorce, the 29-year-old boyfriend of pop star Billie Eilish, has issued an apology for social media posts in which he used homophobic and racist language.
Screenshots of Vorce’s past Facebook posts resurfaced on Twitter this week. The posts, which date back as far as 2011, show Tyler using the slurs “f*ggot” and “n*gger.” He also body shames singer Adele as the “British Miss Piggy” and appears to shame Asian people for wearing surgical masks.
Matthew Tyler Vorce (corduroygraham on Instagram) responds to a comment made by a fanpage. It’s unclear if he responded to the first comment or the second, which would be an admission the comments are real. Matthew’s friends have also been defending him. pic.twitter.com/FrAY0wuF2F
— Def Noodles (@defnoodles) June 13, 2021
With the backlash in full swing, Vorce took to his private Instagram account to issue an apology.
“I want to apologize for the things that I wrote on social media in the past,” Vorce wrote in a story. “The language I used was hurtful and irresponsible and I understand how offensive those words are. Whether it was a lyric, a quote or just me being dumb, it does not matter. I am ashamed and deeply sorry that I used them in any context. It is not how I was raised and it is not what I stand for. I shouldn’t have used this language in the first place and I won’t use it again. I am so sorry for the hurt I have caused.”
Billie Eilish and Matthew Tyler Vorce were recently seen at Disney. Billie liked a post calling out her fandom and claiming the alleged posts were made up. pic.twitter.com/fHBiAEkQLc
— Def Noodles (@defnoodles) June 13, 2021
“I take full responsibility and continue to hold myself accountable for my actions,” he concluded.
The apology follows a statement by Eilish on social media earlier this week, in which she questioned the authenticity of the posts. “This fandom is so embarrassing sometimes,” she wrote. “Like why would you go in someone’s comments and say something you literally don’t even know is true and something y’all LITERALLY MADE UP, sometimes ya’ll are so dumb. Some of you just need to learn to mind your own business.”
The backlash over Vorce’s social media posts–not to mention their homophobic language–will do little to level criticism against Eilish. Earlier this month, critics accused the singer of queerbaiting in the video for her song “Lost Cause.”
Bubbleandsqueal
I suppose this utterly predictable ritual apology matters to somebody.
Max
not how he was raised or not what he stands for, yet he said those things. not sure the apology was even meaningful because because that are raised well generally don’t say such hateful language. and if it wasn’t what he stood for, why not do some volunteer work to benefit meaningful to those he disparaged?
GentlemanCaller
Oh good, another reason not to like Billie Eilish besides her mumbly, monotone excuse for “singing”
PerhapsYesNoMaybe
LOL
mz.sam
White entitled privileged trash dating white entitled privileged trash…Duh.
amanwithanedge
racist.
Cam
No wonder she was all over social media about being “Queer” etc. a while ago, she may have known this stuff was going to come out.
MISTERJETT
so after the apology, all is forgiven? i guess!!!!!
MISTERJETT
like Judge Marilyn of Peoples Court always says: “say it forget it, write it regret it”. actually, don’t even say it. it’s ugly!!!!!!
Catholicslutbox
If people don’t want him to use “reclaimed” words, then they should stop normalizing them by using them so casually.
Cam
Awwww, the troll tries to deflect from the homophobia by turning the attack back onto the LGBTQ community.
Ya boring.
RyanMBecker
I detest Billie Eilish but I have to say that her boyfriend’s apology is one of the best I’ve ever read from a celebrity. Now I can’t tell if it’s sincere or not, but there are no excuses. He doesn’t even blame it on his youth. He simply admits he was wrong, no matter the circumstances, and offers an unconditional apology. Sounds good to me. Especially since the crime is relatively mild. A few stupid social media posts. As far as I know, he had little influence and he has no known homophobic activity outside of those posts. So I tend to forgive him.
As for Eilish, I CAN’T STAND HER. I think she is the most talentless person to win a major Grammy award (how did she win a freakin’ 7 awards out of 10 nominations????). And that includes lipsyncers, Milli Vanilli (who were before my time). I’ve listened to her entire album and can’t discern any singing. She basically mumbles through some lyrics. In contrast, her brother Finneas does have talent — and he’s easier on the eyes. ?
Openminded
I agree with you Ryan. It’s not the typical “this isn’t who I am” excuse. Couple the well worded, fully responsible apology and couple that with the fact that he was 19 y/o at the time, I can give him a little grace. Still doesn’t make him a great guy, but at a minimum, he’s better at sucking up than the average offender.
bsg1967
Agreed Eillish is monotonous warbling but his apology is taking ownership. But I think best both he and his GF are forgotten.
Den
She is actually a much better singer than Finneas, and has a great deal of musicality. She can belt, she can do interesting runs and can show a range of dynamics and tone. She has simply (and sadly I think) chosen some awful vocal mannerisms. Her fanbase of tweens and teens seems to eat it up, so economically, if not artistically it was a good choice.
And they are a good songwriting team. But the brother is definitely much easier on the eyes, as you say…and his solo album is not bad at all.
BoomerMyles
Nope, nope. Cancel them both.
cc423
So this Elise person wants her fans attention, adoration and money… but wants them to mind their own business. Does not compute.
wooly101
I’m glad to see witch hunting is alive and well in 2021. I don’t even know who Billi Eilish is much less buy her music but you know someone had to go up and dig up those comments from the past and show them to the world.
DennisMpls
Normally I wouldn’t comment on a story like this, but because of all the Billie Eilish hate I feel the need to add my two cents. Everyone is free to react to music in whatever way their brains dictate. For my part I think she is very talented, and I really like much of her music. Even more than that I admire her personality and her outlooks. What is presented in this story and in many of the comments is extraordinarily simplistic. Though, of course, we live in a simplistic world. But there is substance in Billie Eilish, and intelligence, and perspectives that don’t hew reactively to the dictates of “the crowd.” Because she intrigued me I’ve paid attention to her, and I like much of what I see.
FWIW, Thom Yorke of Radiohead said she was the only current artist who was doing anything interesting. Just his opinion, of course, but I agree she’s doing interesting and distinctive work.
Regarding her boyfriend, she almost certainly didn’t know of those past comments when they met. None of us know how much genuine racism or homophobia was behind those comments, and how much of it was stupidity or cloistered insensitivity. And none of us know how genuine his apology is. But I agree with Ryan Becker’s assessment that the apology comes across as genuine and sincere.
I’ll add this. I said something once in high school (in print) that was totally meant as a joke, but that haunts me to this day. It was genuinely the exact opposite of how I really felt then and now, and was simply a product of me trying to be “cool” through humor, without the awareness to understand the import of the words. So I understand how people in their younger and dumber days can say things that don’t reflect their essence. For now I’m giving this guy the benefit of the doubt.