Wait a minute! He can't tell the difference between the voices of racist white dudes and Nigerians?
Battyman actor from Empire allegedly gets jumped in Chicago; Update: Arrested for filing fake report
- Thread starter cli-terminator
- Start date
He's never done this before.
The show Columbo was built around this premise, he wasn't that smart and the killers were always semi-geniuses but he'd dealt with thousands of killers but they'd only ever dealt with one murder.
On Jussie Smollett, Misreporting, and the Fine Line Between Healthy Skepticism and MAGA Propaganda
Tonja Renée Stidhum
Today 12:21pm
Filed to: JUSSIE SMOLLETT
25.4K
3092
Jussie Smollett performs onstage during amfAR Dance2Cure on December 1, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
Photo: Emma McIntyre (Getty Images)
On Thursday, Jussie Smollett appeared on Good Morning America, noting that while he was “pissed off” at the attackers he claims targeted him with homophobic and racist slurs, he was equally upset at “the attacks” that followed, i.e. the swarm of doubters who didn’t quite think his story added up.
Jussie Smollett Is 'Pissed Off' at 'the Attackers and the Attacks'
For the first time since his reported homophobic and racist attack in January, Jussie Smollett is…
Read more
Admittedly, the news cycle around the reported attack has been quite the rollercoaster. There has been so much back-and-forth in regards to the persons of interest, their race, whether Smollett knew the attackers, the probability of an attack happening during the middle of a polar vortex in Chicago, whether a “MAGA” comment was ever uttered, the logistics around the location of the attack and its proximity to his apartment ... the list went on. And on.
The safest thing to do was to remain silent about it until actual suspects were confirmed or charges were handed out (professional reporting notwithstanding), as the entire narrative appeared to stand on shaky ground.
The most recent kerfuffle began when it was reported that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) were questioning the two persons of interest identified in the surveillance video from the night in question. Local independent station WGN-TV reported the two men taken in for interrogation were “of Nigerian descent and live in Chicago” and that one of them apparently worked as an extra on Empire.
Things spiraled out of control when reputable news sources such as ABC Chicago and Variety started providing broader coverage piggybacking off WGN’s take and adding their own pretty damning reports. The latter even included a “Jussie Smollett Attack Was Staged, Police Say” social media headline in its report it was later forced to delete when police deemed it inaccurate, clarifying that information was given by “sources.”
Then, there was this figurative nuclear bomb:
That was precisely the point when shit imploded. To add to the initial rumors that this whole thing was basically a Lee Daniels production far exceeding his dramatized television show on Fox, an extra whammy dropped when sources alleged the whole thing stemmed from Smollett’s character supposedly being written off.
A scandal! Where was Olivia Pope to fix this? Sheesh. To say it was a circus at this point would have been putting it mildly, to be honest.
Quickly after, however, it became apparent that Chicago Police had not, in fact, confirmed any reports of a staged hoax. The alleged “sources” were deemed “uninformed and inaccurate.”
Things got so out of hand that the Empire writers’ room and co-creator Danny Strong took to Twitter to refute the rumors. FOX even released an official statement debunking the hoax reports.
A whole hot ass mess. The lot of it.
Some people pointed out one glaring aspect: the rush to share details of the “hoax” was aided by clear MAGA supporters or otherwise ultra conservatives.
As I gawked in amazement at the clusterfuck I was witnessing on social media in real time, I noticed a few things and got to musing:
1. That desire to be “first” is real. And because social media has granted everyone a platform, this eagerness is no longer exclusive to breaking news reporters, and hasn’t been for a good while now. In the rush to provide commentary on what was a scandalous “reveal,” people may have not realized they were essentially siding with the very bigoted groups of people who don’t even want them to have basic human rights.
2. General and healthy skepticism aside, there’s something else occurring here that needs to be pointed out: there are clearly people who never believed Smollett from the very beginning. Now, this could be due to an array of things: It could be something personal against him, the disconnect between fighting for black men and fighting for gay rights (and the intersection smack dab in the middle), or simply being swept up in the shoddy reporting/rumor mill about the incident. Who’s to say?
But, there was a bizarre sense of ... joy around the whole thing that was very, very unsettling. It was a “gotcha” moment prevalent on social media, where people hop on the prime opportunity to unleash that they “never liked that nigga anyway.” Because, let’s face it, if this whole thing turned out to be a hoax, that would be supremely fucked up on another level. There’d be nothing funny about it, as the details of this reported incident aren’t isolated and speak to a larger issue.
3. The following dichotomy: You’re aware of the countless times Russian bots have crafted and implemented targeted campaigns to the detriment of black people, right? It was certainly easy to write off said fake news (real fake news, not the “fake news” dubbed by President Circus Peanut) in that case. When you use that same shaky news platform to then attack Smollett’s character, how does that exactly line up? And let’s say CPD did, in fact, legitimize the sources claiming the “staged” story. Since when do you immediately trust the words of the Chicago Police, when you’ve seen the corruption within their system at the expense of several black bodies? Does that change when that black body is black and gay? Or a celebrity on a show you don’t care for? Or for general tea and messiness? How do you reconcile with that?
I don’t know the answers to any of those questions, especially as the status of major aspects of this horrific ordeal is still outstanding. I just ... don’t know. And at this juncture, it’s okay. It’s okay to say that.
Tonja Renée Stidhum
Today 12:21pm
Filed to: JUSSIE SMOLLETT
25.4K
3092
Jussie Smollett performs onstage during amfAR Dance2Cure on December 1, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
Photo: Emma McIntyre (Getty Images)
On Thursday, Jussie Smollett appeared on Good Morning America, noting that while he was “pissed off” at the attackers he claims targeted him with homophobic and racist slurs, he was equally upset at “the attacks” that followed, i.e. the swarm of doubters who didn’t quite think his story added up.
Jussie Smollett Is 'Pissed Off' at 'the Attackers and the Attacks'
For the first time since his reported homophobic and racist attack in January, Jussie Smollett is…
Read more
Admittedly, the news cycle around the reported attack has been quite the rollercoaster. There has been so much back-and-forth in regards to the persons of interest, their race, whether Smollett knew the attackers, the probability of an attack happening during the middle of a polar vortex in Chicago, whether a “MAGA” comment was ever uttered, the logistics around the location of the attack and its proximity to his apartment ... the list went on. And on.
The safest thing to do was to remain silent about it until actual suspects were confirmed or charges were handed out (professional reporting notwithstanding), as the entire narrative appeared to stand on shaky ground.
The most recent kerfuffle began when it was reported that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) were questioning the two persons of interest identified in the surveillance video from the night in question. Local independent station WGN-TV reported the two men taken in for interrogation were “of Nigerian descent and live in Chicago” and that one of them apparently worked as an extra on Empire.
Things spiraled out of control when reputable news sources such as ABC Chicago and Variety started providing broader coverage piggybacking off WGN’s take and adding their own pretty damning reports. The latter even included a “Jussie Smollett Attack Was Staged, Police Say” social media headline in its report it was later forced to delete when police deemed it inaccurate, clarifying that information was given by “sources.”
Then, there was this figurative nuclear bomb:
That was precisely the point when shit imploded. To add to the initial rumors that this whole thing was basically a Lee Daniels production far exceeding his dramatized television show on Fox, an extra whammy dropped when sources alleged the whole thing stemmed from Smollett’s character supposedly being written off.
A scandal! Where was Olivia Pope to fix this? Sheesh. To say it was a circus at this point would have been putting it mildly, to be honest.
Quickly after, however, it became apparent that Chicago Police had not, in fact, confirmed any reports of a staged hoax. The alleged “sources” were deemed “uninformed and inaccurate.”
Things got so out of hand that the Empire writers’ room and co-creator Danny Strong took to Twitter to refute the rumors. FOX even released an official statement debunking the hoax reports.
A whole hot ass mess. The lot of it.
Some people pointed out one glaring aspect: the rush to share details of the “hoax” was aided by clear MAGA supporters or otherwise ultra conservatives.
As I gawked in amazement at the clusterfuck I was witnessing on social media in real time, I noticed a few things and got to musing:
1. That desire to be “first” is real. And because social media has granted everyone a platform, this eagerness is no longer exclusive to breaking news reporters, and hasn’t been for a good while now. In the rush to provide commentary on what was a scandalous “reveal,” people may have not realized they were essentially siding with the very bigoted groups of people who don’t even want them to have basic human rights.
2. General and healthy skepticism aside, there’s something else occurring here that needs to be pointed out: there are clearly people who never believed Smollett from the very beginning. Now, this could be due to an array of things: It could be something personal against him, the disconnect between fighting for black men and fighting for gay rights (and the intersection smack dab in the middle), or simply being swept up in the shoddy reporting/rumor mill about the incident. Who’s to say?
But, there was a bizarre sense of ... joy around the whole thing that was very, very unsettling. It was a “gotcha” moment prevalent on social media, where people hop on the prime opportunity to unleash that they “never liked that nigga anyway.” Because, let’s face it, if this whole thing turned out to be a hoax, that would be supremely fucked up on another level. There’d be nothing funny about it, as the details of this reported incident aren’t isolated and speak to a larger issue.
3. The following dichotomy: You’re aware of the countless times Russian bots have crafted and implemented targeted campaigns to the detriment of black people, right? It was certainly easy to write off said fake news (real fake news, not the “fake news” dubbed by President Circus Peanut) in that case. When you use that same shaky news platform to then attack Smollett’s character, how does that exactly line up? And let’s say CPD did, in fact, legitimize the sources claiming the “staged” story. Since when do you immediately trust the words of the Chicago Police, when you’ve seen the corruption within their system at the expense of several black bodies? Does that change when that black body is black and gay? Or a celebrity on a show you don’t care for? Or for general tea and messiness? How do you reconcile with that?
I don’t know the answers to any of those questions, especially as the status of major aspects of this horrific ordeal is still outstanding. I just ... don’t know. And at this juncture, it’s okay. It’s okay to say that.
I knew the Root/Weed would double down on their failure to be honest. Shit is over. He’s a fucking liar. This ‘article’ is an incoherent rant.On Jussie Smollett, Misreporting, and the Fine Line Between Healthy Skepticism and MAGA Propaganda
Tonja Renée Stidhum
Today 12:21pm
Filed to: JUSSIE SMOLLETT
25.4K
3092
Jussie Smollett performs onstage during amfAR Dance2Cure on December 1, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
Photo: Emma McIntyre (Getty Images)
On Thursday, Jussie Smollett appeared on Good Morning America, noting that while he was “pissed off” at the attackers he claims targeted him with homophobic and racist slurs, he was equally upset at “the attacks” that followed, i.e. the swarm of doubters who didn’t quite think his story added up.
Jussie Smollett Is 'Pissed Off' at 'the Attackers and the Attacks'
For the first time since his reported homophobic and racist attack in January, Jussie Smollett is…
Read more
Admittedly, the news cycle around the reported attack has been quite the rollercoaster. There has been so much back-and-forth in regards to the persons of interest, their race, whether Smollett knew the attackers, the probability of an attack happening during the middle of a polar vortex in Chicago, whether a “MAGA” comment was ever uttered, the logistics around the location of the attack and its proximity to his apartment ... the list went on. And on.
The safest thing to do was to remain silent about it until actual suspects were confirmed or charges were handed out (professional reporting notwithstanding), as the entire narrative appeared to stand on shaky ground.
The most recent kerfuffle began when it was reported that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) were questioning the two persons of interest identified in the surveillance video from the night in question. Local independent station WGN-TV reported the two men taken in for interrogation were “of Nigerian descent and live in Chicago” and that one of them apparently worked as an extra on Empire.
Things spiraled out of control when reputable news sources such as ABC Chicago and Variety started providing broader coverage piggybacking off WGN’s take and adding their own pretty damning reports. The latter even included a “Jussie Smollett Attack Was Staged, Police Say” social media headline in its report it was later forced to delete when police deemed it inaccurate, clarifying that information was given by “sources.”
Then, there was this figurative nuclear bomb:
That was precisely the point when shit imploded. To add to the initial rumors that this whole thing was basically a Lee Daniels production far exceeding his dramatized television show on Fox, an extra whammy dropped when sources alleged the whole thing stemmed from Smollett’s character supposedly being written off.
A scandal! Where was Olivia Pope to fix this? Sheesh. To say it was a circus at this point would have been putting it mildly, to be honest.
Quickly after, however, it became apparent that Chicago Police had not, in fact, confirmed any reports of a staged hoax. The alleged “sources” were deemed “uninformed and inaccurate.”
Things got so out of hand that the Empire writers’ room and co-creator Danny Strong took to Twitter to refute the rumors. FOX even released an official statement debunking the hoax reports.
A whole hot ass mess. The lot of it.
Some people pointed out one glaring aspect: the rush to share details of the “hoax” was aided by clear MAGA supporters or otherwise ultra conservatives.
As I gawked in amazement at the clusterfuck I was witnessing on social media in real time, I noticed a few things and got to musing:
1. That desire to be “first” is real. And because social media has granted everyone a platform, this eagerness is no longer exclusive to breaking news reporters, and hasn’t been for a good while now. In the rush to provide commentary on what was a scandalous “reveal,” people may have not realized they were essentially siding with the very bigoted groups of people who don’t even want them to have basic human rights.
2. General and healthy skepticism aside, there’s something else occurring here that needs to be pointed out: there are clearly people who never believed Smollett from the very beginning. Now, this could be due to an array of things: It could be something personal against him, the disconnect between fighting for black men and fighting for gay rights (and the intersection smack dab in the middle), or simply being swept up in the shoddy reporting/rumor mill about the incident. Who’s to say?
But, there was a bizarre sense of ... joy around the whole thing that was very, very unsettling. It was a “gotcha” moment prevalent on social media, where people hop on the prime opportunity to unleash that they “never liked that nigga anyway.” Because, let’s face it, if this whole thing turned out to be a hoax, that would be supremely fucked up on another level. There’d be nothing funny about it, as the details of this reported incident aren’t isolated and speak to a larger issue.
3. The following dichotomy: You’re aware of the countless times Russian bots have crafted and implemented targeted campaigns to the detriment of black people, right? It was certainly easy to write off said fake news (real fake news, not the “fake news” dubbed by President Circus Peanut) in that case. When you use that same shaky news platform to then attack Smollett’s character, how does that exactly line up? And let’s say CPD did, in fact, legitimize the sources claiming the “staged” story. Since when do you immediately trust the words of the Chicago Police, when you’ve seen the corruption within their system at the expense of several black bodies? Does that change when that black body is black and gay? Or a celebrity on a show you don’t care for? Or for general tea and messiness? How do you reconcile with that?
I don’t know the answers to any of those questions, especially as the status of major aspects of this horrific ordeal is still outstanding. I just ... don’t know. And at this juncture, it’s okay. It’s okay to say that.
Stop spaming the board with this gay propoganda!! Stop!
anyone who believes him aint spreading gay propaganda just like those who don't aint MAGA supporters.
honestly?
at THIS point?
this all had BETTER be true.
Cause woo boy....
if its a lie
and PROVEN without a DOUBT that it is?
I wonder if BET will have the foresight to beat Netflix to making a movie about all this shit.
I'm
@ "Juicy". 
why was Lee tweeting about Juicy's attack before Juicy called police - then deleted the tweet?
I'm
Empire is killing off a major character — Fox insists it isn't Jussie Smollett
Chuck Hodes/FOX (2)
Empire
Show Details
TYPE
TV Show
GENRE
Drama
NETWORK
Fox
DEREK LAWRENCE
February 15, 2019 at 01:37 PM EST
The internet went wild Thursday as two Chicago media outlets reported that police believed Jussie Smollett wasn’t the victim of a recent attack, but instead, that he and his two supposed attackers staged the incident because the actor was being written off of Empire. The Chicago PD quickly struck those down as “uninformed and inaccurate” reports, while Fox and the Empire team strongly denied any possibility that Smollett, who has starred as Jamal Lyon for all five seasons, would be killed off the show. And while producers insist Smollett isn’t going anywhere, someone is being killed on Empire.
The Fox hit series, which returns for its spring run on March 13, has spent all of season 5 teasing a major death after the premiere ended with a flash forward of Lucious (Terrence Howard) standing over a casket. Speaking with EW after the episode, Empire showrunner Brett Mahoney revealed that the mystery death wouldn’t be solved until the end of the season, but it was an “impactful” one.
The flash forward device has continued to be used throughout the season, but hasn’t shed much light on the identity of the victim, until the winter finale provided a possible answer: eldest Lyon son Andre (Trai Byers) was rushed to the ER and the episode ended with him flatlining. Again speaking to EW, Mahoney wouldn’t confirm that Andre was the person in the coffin, but there have long been rumors that Byers has been looking to leave the show.
Back to Smollett, with the reports about him being written off Empire, co-creator Danny Strong flatly denied those suggestions, writing on social media, “There is 0% truth that @JussieSmollett was going to be written off of Empire. This rumor is totally false. He is the third lead and one of the most beloved characters on the show. Writing him off the show has NEVER even been discussed.”
Danny Strong
✔@Dannystrong
https://twitter.com/Dannystrong/status/1096251603173163008
There is 0% truth that @JussieSmollett was going to be written off of Empire. This rumor is totally false. He is the third lead and one of the most beloved characters on the show. Writing him off the show has NEVER even been discussed.
1,039
10:35 PM - Feb 14, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
454 people are talking about this
The sentiment was backed up by the Empire writers’ Twitter account and a statement from 20th Century Fox Television: “The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”
Empire Writers
✔@EmpireWriters
https://twitter.com/EmpireWriters/status/1096239089613922305
The writers of Empire have never planned or even discussed writing @JussieSmollett off of the show.
4,219
9:45 PM - Feb 14, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
1,757 people are talking about this
Talking to EW ahead of the season, Smollett was excited about the “new energy” of the show and an upcoming “groundbreaking” story line, which turned out to be Jamal’s fiancé Kai (Toby Onwumere) being HIV-positive. When asked if he thought Empire was hitting the end of its run, he suggested that it was far from it.
“Let’s get this straight, I’m in it with Jamal for the long run,” declared Smollett. “Obviously it would be up to the network, but I still do feel like we have good wattage in us, because it ain’t been that damn long. But I do think that our stories are firm and grounded. And I definitely would say that I want us to dip out while we’re still telling great stories. My whole thing is this: as long as we’re telling great stories and we’re able to entertain the fans and as long as we’re still excited about doing it then we’ll go. But I think all of us are smart and all of us are artists and all of us will know when the time is right to be, ‘Alright y’all, it’s time for the Lyons to sleep.’ But that time is not now, not with season 5 on the horizon.”
In terms of what is to come with Smollett’s character when Empire returns, Mahoney previously told EW that Jamal will be dealing with Kai asking him to choose between him and his family.
“That is sort of Jamal’s challenge in the past, and it still is,” said the showrunner. “Kai is basically asking, ‘What do you want to be, Jamal? Do you want to be Lucious and Cookie’s son, or do you want to be my husband?’ And Jamal is saying, ‘Listen, I can love you and be a Lyon at the same time. I can’t run away from my family responsibilities.’ That’s a challenge for Jamal and how he defines himself, and something he will have to deal with moving forward.”
Empire returns March 13 on Fox.
Chuck Hodes/FOX (2)
Empire
Show Details
TYPE
TV Show
GENRE
Drama
NETWORK
Fox
DEREK LAWRENCE
February 15, 2019 at 01:37 PM EST
The internet went wild Thursday as two Chicago media outlets reported that police believed Jussie Smollett wasn’t the victim of a recent attack, but instead, that he and his two supposed attackers staged the incident because the actor was being written off of Empire. The Chicago PD quickly struck those down as “uninformed and inaccurate” reports, while Fox and the Empire team strongly denied any possibility that Smollett, who has starred as Jamal Lyon for all five seasons, would be killed off the show. And while producers insist Smollett isn’t going anywhere, someone is being killed on Empire.
The Fox hit series, which returns for its spring run on March 13, has spent all of season 5 teasing a major death after the premiere ended with a flash forward of Lucious (Terrence Howard) standing over a casket. Speaking with EW after the episode, Empire showrunner Brett Mahoney revealed that the mystery death wouldn’t be solved until the end of the season, but it was an “impactful” one.
The flash forward device has continued to be used throughout the season, but hasn’t shed much light on the identity of the victim, until the winter finale provided a possible answer: eldest Lyon son Andre (Trai Byers) was rushed to the ER and the episode ended with him flatlining. Again speaking to EW, Mahoney wouldn’t confirm that Andre was the person in the coffin, but there have long been rumors that Byers has been looking to leave the show.
Back to Smollett, with the reports about him being written off Empire, co-creator Danny Strong flatly denied those suggestions, writing on social media, “There is 0% truth that @JussieSmollett was going to be written off of Empire. This rumor is totally false. He is the third lead and one of the most beloved characters on the show. Writing him off the show has NEVER even been discussed.”
Danny Strong
✔@Dannystrong
https://twitter.com/Dannystrong/status/1096251603173163008
There is 0% truth that @JussieSmollett was going to be written off of Empire. This rumor is totally false. He is the third lead and one of the most beloved characters on the show. Writing him off the show has NEVER even been discussed.
1,039
10:35 PM - Feb 14, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
454 people are talking about this
The sentiment was backed up by the Empire writers’ Twitter account and a statement from 20th Century Fox Television: “The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”
Empire Writers
✔@EmpireWriters
https://twitter.com/EmpireWriters/status/1096239089613922305
The writers of Empire have never planned or even discussed writing @JussieSmollett off of the show.
4,219
9:45 PM - Feb 14, 2019
Twitter Ads info and privacy
1,757 people are talking about this
Talking to EW ahead of the season, Smollett was excited about the “new energy” of the show and an upcoming “groundbreaking” story line, which turned out to be Jamal’s fiancé Kai (Toby Onwumere) being HIV-positive. When asked if he thought Empire was hitting the end of its run, he suggested that it was far from it.
“Let’s get this straight, I’m in it with Jamal for the long run,” declared Smollett. “Obviously it would be up to the network, but I still do feel like we have good wattage in us, because it ain’t been that damn long. But I do think that our stories are firm and grounded. And I definitely would say that I want us to dip out while we’re still telling great stories. My whole thing is this: as long as we’re telling great stories and we’re able to entertain the fans and as long as we’re still excited about doing it then we’ll go. But I think all of us are smart and all of us are artists and all of us will know when the time is right to be, ‘Alright y’all, it’s time for the Lyons to sleep.’ But that time is not now, not with season 5 on the horizon.”
In terms of what is to come with Smollett’s character when Empire returns, Mahoney previously told EW that Jamal will be dealing with Kai asking him to choose between him and his family.
“That is sort of Jamal’s challenge in the past, and it still is,” said the showrunner. “Kai is basically asking, ‘What do you want to be, Jamal? Do you want to be Lucious and Cookie’s son, or do you want to be my husband?’ And Jamal is saying, ‘Listen, I can love you and be a Lyon at the same time. I can’t run away from my family responsibilities.’ That’s a challenge for Jamal and how he defines himself, and something he will have to deal with moving forward.”
Empire returns March 13 on Fox.
Bro u can’t be posting no watwrhead gay nigga
Fuck is this shit? Black folks need to get off thatOn Jussie Smollett, Misreporting, and the Fine Line Between Healthy Skepticism and MAGA Propaganda
Tonja Renée Stidhum
Today 12:21pm
Filed to: JUSSIE SMOLLETT
25.4K
3092
Jussie Smollett performs onstage during amfAR Dance2Cure on December 1, 2018 in Hollywood, California.
Photo: Emma McIntyre (Getty Images)
On Thursday, Jussie Smollett appeared on Good Morning America, noting that while he was “pissed off” at the attackers he claims targeted him with homophobic and racist slurs, he was equally upset at “the attacks” that followed, i.e. the swarm of doubters who didn’t quite think his story added up.
Jussie Smollett Is 'Pissed Off' at 'the Attackers and the Attacks'
For the first time since his reported homophobic and racist attack in January, Jussie Smollett is…
Read more
Admittedly, the news cycle around the reported attack has been quite the rollercoaster. There has been so much back-and-forth in regards to the persons of interest, their race, whether Smollett knew the attackers, the probability of an attack happening during the middle of a polar vortex in Chicago, whether a “MAGA” comment was ever uttered, the logistics around the location of the attack and its proximity to his apartment ... the list went on. And on.
The safest thing to do was to remain silent about it until actual suspects were confirmed or charges were handed out (professional reporting notwithstanding), as the entire narrative appeared to stand on shaky ground.
The most recent kerfuffle began when it was reported that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) were questioning the two persons of interest identified in the surveillance video from the night in question. Local independent station WGN-TV reported the two men taken in for interrogation were “of Nigerian descent and live in Chicago” and that one of them apparently worked as an extra on Empire.
Things spiraled out of control when reputable news sources such as ABC Chicago and Variety started providing broader coverage piggybacking off WGN’s take and adding their own pretty damning reports. The latter even included a “Jussie Smollett Attack Was Staged, Police Say” social media headline in its report it was later forced to delete when police deemed it inaccurate, clarifying that information was given by “sources.”
Then, there was this figurative nuclear bomb:
That was precisely the point when shit imploded. To add to the initial rumors that this whole thing was basically a Lee Daniels production far exceeding his dramatized television show on Fox, an extra whammy dropped when sources alleged the whole thing stemmed from Smollett’s character supposedly being written off.
A scandal! Where was Olivia Pope to fix this? Sheesh. To say it was a circus at this point would have been putting it mildly, to be honest.
Quickly after, however, it became apparent that Chicago Police had not, in fact, confirmed any reports of a staged hoax. The alleged “sources” were deemed “uninformed and inaccurate.”
Things got so out of hand that the Empire writers’ room and co-creator Danny Strong took to Twitter to refute the rumors. FOX even released an official statement debunking the hoax reports.
A whole hot ass mess. The lot of it.
Some people pointed out one glaring aspect: the rush to share details of the “hoax” was aided by clear MAGA supporters or otherwise ultra conservatives.
As I gawked in amazement at the clusterfuck I was witnessing on social media in real time, I noticed a few things and got to musing:
1. That desire to be “first” is real. And because social media has granted everyone a platform, this eagerness is no longer exclusive to breaking news reporters, and hasn’t been for a good while now. In the rush to provide commentary on what was a scandalous “reveal,” people may have not realized they were essentially siding with the very bigoted groups of people who don’t even want them to have basic human rights.
2. General and healthy skepticism aside, there’s something else occurring here that needs to be pointed out: there are clearly people who never believed Smollett from the very beginning. Now, this could be due to an array of things: It could be something personal against him, the disconnect between fighting for black men and fighting for gay rights (and the intersection smack dab in the middle), or simply being swept up in the shoddy reporting/rumor mill about the incident. Who’s to say?
But, there was a bizarre sense of ... joy around the whole thing that was very, very unsettling. It was a “gotcha” moment prevalent on social media, where people hop on the prime opportunity to unleash that they “never liked that nigga anyway.” Because, let’s face it, if this whole thing turned out to be a hoax, that would be supremely fucked up on another level. There’d be nothing funny about it, as the details of this reported incident aren’t isolated and speak to a larger issue.
3. The following dichotomy: You’re aware of the countless times Russian bots have crafted and implemented targeted campaigns to the detriment of black people, right? It was certainly easy to write off said fake news (real fake news, not the “fake news” dubbed by President Circus Peanut) in that case. When you use that same shaky news platform to then attack Smollett’s character, how does that exactly line up? And let’s say CPD did, in fact, legitimize the sources claiming the “staged” story. Since when do you immediately trust the words of the Chicago Police, when you’ve seen the corruption within their system at the expense of several black bodies? Does that change when that black body is black and gay? Or a celebrity on a show you don’t care for? Or for general tea and messiness? How do you reconcile with that?
I don’t know the answers to any of those questions, especially as the status of major aspects of this horrific ordeal is still outstanding. I just ... don’t know. And at this juncture, it’s okay. It’s okay to say that.
Russia shit. It's like becoming the go to standard to try to kill an argument. 
She ain't writing that bullshit if this were a straight white women trying to blame black guys and had an equally absurd story.
By Ben Feuerherd and Gabrielle Fonrouge
February 15, 2019 | 10:54pm
Jussie SmollettAP
Chicago police on Friday night released two persons of interest without charging them in the alleged hate attack on “Empire” star Jussie Smollett.
“Due to new evidence as a result of today’s interrogations, the individuals questioned by police in the Empire case have now been released without charging and detectives have additional investigative work to complete,” Chicago Police said in a tweet Friday night.
Earlier on Friday, police said they were questioning two men who were taken into custody at O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday night after returning from a trip to Nigeria.
The pair, who are brothers originally from the African country, have a relationship with Smollett, Chicago Police said — fueling speculation the attack may have been staged.
Smollett alleged he was on the phone with his manager, Brandon Z. Moore, and walking home from a Subway restaurant in Chicago at 2 a.m. Jan. 29 when he was accosted by two people who shouted racial slurs, tied a noose around his neck and doused him with a “chemical substance” resembling bleach.
Chicago police had a 48-hour window to charge the brothers, which ended on Friday night.
February 15, 2019 | 10:54pm
Jussie SmollettAP
Chicago police on Friday night released two persons of interest without charging them in the alleged hate attack on “Empire” star Jussie Smollett.
“Due to new evidence as a result of today’s interrogations, the individuals questioned by police in the Empire case have now been released without charging and detectives have additional investigative work to complete,” Chicago Police said in a tweet Friday night.
Earlier on Friday, police said they were questioning two men who were taken into custody at O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday night after returning from a trip to Nigeria.
The pair, who are brothers originally from the African country, have a relationship with Smollett, Chicago Police said — fueling speculation the attack may have been staged.
Smollett alleged he was on the phone with his manager, Brandon Z. Moore, and walking home from a Subway restaurant in Chicago at 2 a.m. Jan. 29 when he was accosted by two people who shouted racial slurs, tied a noose around his neck and doused him with a “chemical substance” resembling bleach.
Chicago police had a 48-hour window to charge the brothers, which ended on Friday night.
By Ben Feuerherd and Gabrielle Fonrouge
February 15, 2019 | 10:54pm
Jussie SmollettAP
Chicago police on Friday night released two persons of interest without charging them in the alleged hate attack on “Empire” star Jussie Smollett.
“Due to new evidence as a result of today’s interrogations, the individuals questioned by police in the Empire case have now been released without charging and detectives have additional investigative work to complete,” Chicago Police said in a tweet Friday night.
Earlier on Friday, police said they were questioning two men who were taken into custody at O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday night after returning from a trip to Nigeria.
The pair, who are brothers originally from the African country, have a relationship with Smollett, Chicago Police said — fueling speculation the attack may have been staged.
Smollett alleged he was on the phone with his manager, Brandon Z. Moore, and walking home from a Subway restaurant in Chicago at 2 a.m. Jan. 29 when he was accosted by two people who shouted racial slurs, tied a noose around his neck and doused him with a “chemical substance” resembling bleach.
Chicago police had a 48-hour window to charge the brothers, which ended on Friday night.
Yeah I just saw this....
Things took another twist....
Man this shit is going to end up as a top 3 LIFETIME movie. BET is going to make their own version staring Jessie T Usher.
Throw this nigga in the garbage can
Cats could have just sat there for 2 days like
Not saying shit. It's crazy. Without evidence, if no one talks, police can't do shit. It's like those pigs on First 48. When people don't talk, they end up letting them go and they like 
On the other hand, pigs jumping around high fiving each other when cats they bring in talk.
This won't end well, Jussie
I wonder if BET will have the foresight to beat Netflix to making a movie about all this shit.
I'm@ "Juicy".
law and order SVU will do it before both of them.
The only question is this...
Will this guy become a symbol, a rallying point where gay and straight people join together against a common enemy to a point that could effect the outcome of the next presidential election?
Or
Will he be exposed and create a near permanent rift between communities that were already at a tenuous point in their allegiances, at one of the most critical times in American history and be labeled a pariah by all involved?
Sidebar...
I ain't written that well in weeks cuz
Just imagine the movie trailer voice reading that @fonzerrillii!!!
Thats a Netflix series winning golden globes and emmys!
I feel like we need to get on this yesterday!
Damn it you right, im slipping
2 hour season finale
Might even have to bring back stabler
I agree about Jussie Smollett.
As for Columbo, disagree. He himself was a genius. He played upon an ingenuous demeanor and feigned ineptitude and naivety to gain access to places and get people to tell on themselves. In the meantime, he would do the behind the scenes shit to gather evidence to back them into a corner.
Cats could have just sat there for 2 days like
Actually they let them go after interrogating them. They were let go after being arrested.....
Which means that after they talked to the cops .... one of the fuzz gave the Weebay gif face and let them go without charges.....
Why would he hire Michael Cohen's defense attorney though? Would the city of Chicago bring charges against him?
I think ol boy is about to be exposed hard.... either that or this was a paid hit.
Y’all gave 2 faggit niggas in the past 2 weeks 20 page threads
Shit crayz
Shit crayz
Victims hire attorneys all the time. Typically to be the media spokesman or to prepare for any suits against the city of things turn south.
Agreed.
But that was one of the most creative ways of describing Colombo i ever heard.
Fuck is this shit? Black folks need to get off that
She ain't writing that bullshit if this were a straight white women trying to blame black guys and had an equally absurd story.
True.
But i aint gonna just discount the power influence and prevalence of these bots.
They a modern day weapon.
And effective as hell
Trust
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