Vulture Honorary Degree - Vulture

The Honorary Degree

Each year, Vulture bestows an unaccredited but no less honorable Master of Culture degree on a luminary whose remarkable career we feel compelled to formally recognize. 2023’s honoree is multi-hyphenate Billy Porter, following past recipients Lee Pace, Whoopi Goldberg, and Laura Dern.

2023

the interview Billy Porter’s Never-Ending Performance This year’s Vulture Honorary Degree recipient had to wait for the culture to catch up to him (even as he coaxed it along). By Jason P. Frank
the essay Billy Porter Is Ready to Speak on It He spent decades dazzling in performances before he could be himself in public. He’s making up for lost time. By Mikelle Street

2022

the interview The Lee Pace Method Whether he’s playing a bashful pie-maker or the emperor of a galaxy, Pace says he always leaves a bit of himself onscreen. By Kathryn VanArendonk
the essay Lee Pace Stays Just Out of Reach The recipient of this year’s very official Vulture Honorary Degree is a master at making us want more of him. By Kathryn VanArendonk

2020

the interview In Conversation: Whoopi Goldberg From her Oscar win to getting iced out of Hollywood, Whoopi has never lost sight of herself. By E. Alex Jung
the essay Movies Were Better When Whoopi Goldberg Was in Them The actress has already achieved EGOT status. Now, finally, she’s a Master of Culture. By Soraya Nadia McDonald

2019

the interview Laura Dern Doesn’t Need Our Approval But we gave her an honorary degree anyway. By E. Alex Jung
the essay Laura Dern Changed Our Idea of Stardom There is no one performance you can point to as the reason for her decades-long success. By Bilge Ebiri