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‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett Assaulted In Reported Hate Crime

By Michael Fairman

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Photo Credit: JPI Studios

In a horrifying series of events, the popular star of Fox’s Empire, Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon) was assaulted at 2am this morning in Chicago, where he is currently filming episodes of the series..

According to the report from the Chicago Police Department, Smollett was walking down the street when two offenders approached him and began yelling racial and homophobic slurs toward him.  The offenders then became physically violent, battering Smollett with their hands and pouring an “unknown chemical substance” on him.  At some point during the attack, one of the offenders wrapped a rope around Smollett’s neck before fleeing the scene.  Some reports have the attackers shouting Pro-MAGA comments and wearing ski masks.

Chicago PD said in a statement: “Given the severity of the allegations, we are taking this investigation very seriously and treating it as a possible hate crime.  Detectives are currently working to gather video, identify potential witnesses and establish an investigative timeline.”

Smollett was hospitalized following the attack, and is said to be in good condition and cooperating fully with investigators.

In addition, there is a possibility that this attack was premeditated. According to a report from That Grape Juice, Smollett had previously received a death threat in the mail with a drawing of him getting shot; accompanied by his name and a homophobic slur.

In an report/update from TMZ on the incident they state: “Sources directly connected to Jussie say the actor arrived in Chicago from New York late Monday, and at around 2 AM he was hungry and went to a Subway. We’re told when he walked out, someone yelled, ‘Aren’t you that f***ot ‘Empire’ n*****?’   The 2 men — both white and wearing ski masks — viciously attacked Jussie as he fought back, but they beat him badly and fractured a rib. They put a rope around his neck, poured bleach on him and as they left they yelled, ‘This is MAGA country.’ Jussie was taken to Northwestern Memorial where he was treated. He was discharged later Tuesday morning.”

Since the TMZ report, The Daily Beast’s Tim Teeman tweeted that according to a Chicago police spokesperson he spoke with, the attackers did not yell “This is MAGA country”.  Chicago PD said, ‘There is no report of that being said.’  The spokesperson said the genders of the attackers was unknown, and their faces and hands had been covered.”‘

So, what do you think of this disgusting hate crime against Smollett?  Please send your well-wishes to Jussie via the comment section below.

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So very sad for Jussie. Hope his attackers are quickly caught and brought to a powerful justice. If people can’t accept, they should tolerate, and if they can’t do either, then never leave your home, because that is how small hater’s worlds are.

Donald Trump owns this.

Donald Trump’s supporters own this.

Everyone who allows racist and homophobic words to go unchecked in 2019 owns this.

Words are actions that lead to more actions.

Like this one.

My God. This is horrible. I hope they catch these guys in put them under the jail….

No one deserves this type of treatment!

It’s just that…disgusting! What the hell is wrong with people?

This is disturbing beyond words. He has been a frequent guest/guest host on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” and have loved his positive approach to life, great smile and thankfulness for his job. I have read several reports today and it seems people HAVE to have someone to blame, whether it is being a racist, homophobia or making it political. Let’s get one thing straight. This is H-A-T-E. The men that attacked him are nothing better than a wild animal that needs to be caged. I hope these men are caught and are prosecuted to the fullest extent.

Get well, Jussie.

This is (some of) us. Sad. People spending more time judging and worrying about another person’s life choice while all the while THEY’RE the ones headed to Hell. Throwing MAGA crap in there is just a smoke screen if that was added. When men like this go after gay men it’s because that gay man struck a chord in them that they’ve ignored and basically get angry at themselves and react by taking it out on unsuspecting victims. That’s just the bottom line. More than to do with hate.

So sad,prayers for Jussie

Love him! Was horrified to read this…just unspeakable violence and sick. The irony is it sounds like a scene out of Empire.

Good thing they didn’t know he was Jewish, too. That’d be the icing on the cake.

this is what these fools consider “Making America Great Again”??

If they have their way, pretty soon Hell will look like a paradise compared to Orangemerica.

Send those MAGAtts down…. I’ll take it from there. The dragons could use some new chew toys.

It’s really unbelievable and sad that stuff like this still goes on in 2019. We should all be embarrassed and ashamed. White, black, brown, gay, straight, rich, poor, liberal, conservative there should be no acceptance for hate of any kind in this country period. Everyone needs to stop concerning themselves with what other people are doing in their lives, things that have no effect on you whatsoever, and worry about living your own life. The world would be a much better place if everyone did that. Live and let live.

Get well soon, Jussie.

Words cannot convey what I am feeling. This is totally vicious and ridiculous! What gives another person the right to take their issues out on another person? Jussie is an out and proud gay man and has the right to live his life and love as he pleases. This —- cannot be accepted or allowed!

I am left stunned and angry! I wish Jussie nothing but the best and a speedy recovery. It is my hope that these two attackers are brought to justice and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No one should have to go through what Jussie went through early Tuesday morning.

this hurts

this hurts , like no other (s)

I certainly do believe that the current climate ( MAGA ) has heightened the fear.

FEAR … afraid to come out… because I did not make that choice… I am born not unlike you

oh Lord… after all the effort… Obama reached. this is definitely, one of those times… one step forward, two steps back. we have definitely taken , with a lot of legislation by the current GOP … taken steps back in denigrating another human being (s). like legally, right ? after the marriage law was made legal… I had hoped that the , “tolerance” would ebb and flow and acceptance seep in to our consciousness.

“Mr. Jussie Smollett” My heart is with you… as I search again and again my soul to remain vigilant and forward to that day when ALL walks of life reach an accord

These attacks have definitely increased since Trump took office. Racist, anti-gay… anti semitic attacks have increased by 60%. He’s unleashed all the roaches that were always there but under the woodwork. Now they’re freely crawling among us.

just read that he is now telling a different story.. I hope this is not true!!

Real believable story. Now racists carry bleach at 2 a.m.?

Breaking News

Rosie O’Donnell Says She Will Return to ‘The View’ During its Season 30

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Rosie O'Donnell

Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she plans to head back to a seat at the table of ABC’s morning talk show The View.

The announcement came during Monday’s episode of The Tangle Podcast where she shared she will participate in “in whatever way they want” her or “just as a guest” for its upcoming 30th season.

The View’s season 30 will kick-off this fall in September. O’Donnell explained, “They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I’m pretty proud of that show, what it’s become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics.”

Photo: ABC

ROSIE ON HER PREVIOUS GO-ROUNDS ON THE VIEW

As fans of The View know, O’Donnell famously had two different one-year stints on the talk show in 2007 and again in 2014- 2015. She often feuded with then co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.

However, during her discussion with host, Kyle Ridley on The Tangle Podcast, O’Donnell also noted she often had tense moments with longtime moderator and anchor, Whoopi Goldberg.

O’Donnell also expressed, “Many, many people got the short end of the stick there. It was, you know, it was a factory where people were being churned in and out and their tenuous security, nobody got to be calm. It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about. And that didn’t sit right with me, you know.”

Back in 2023, Brooke Shields had asked Rosie on her podcast, Now What? with Brooke Shields, about how she felt on her two stints at The View and all the controversy that surrounded it. Rosie at that time, stated, “I know this, it’s not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness. It was not something I’d ever do again.”

You can check out the clip with Rosie and Kyle Ridley discussing her return to The View in some form for its upcoming 30th season below.

Then weigh-in: Would you be excited to see Rosie, even for a one-day or a week guest stint on the upcoming celebratory season of The View, or not so much? Let us know via the comment section.

 

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A post shared by Kyle Ridley (@kyleridley_)

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Breaking News

Television Academy and NATAS Open Reunification Talks After Split Almost 50 Years Ago

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Emmys

In what could prove to be a massive shake-up ahead, both the TV Academy (ATAS), who presides over the Primetime Emmys, and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), who preside over the Daytime Emmys, are in exploratory reunification discussions to merge the two organizations into one.

Both sides received an overwhelming vote and support from their boards to evaluate what a unified Academy could look like. However there is no formal calendar at this juncture for the discussions. In addition, because of the ongoing unification talks that should occur, the TV Academy board has voted to extend all current sitting Governors’ terms by one year so they can see the process through.

Boards at both organizations voted overwhelmingly to evaluate what a unified Academy could make possible: a strong vision for the Academy’s future, more effective thought leadership for the industry, broader service and support for members coast-to-coast, and new momentum and opportunities across the full complement of national Emmy competitions.

Photos: ATAS/NATAS

AFTER NEARLY 50 YEARS, CAN THE EMMYS BE UNDER ONE BANNER?

In a joint statement, ATAS and NATAS shared, “Television remains the most powerful medium we have to shape culture and prompt conversations that define us—no matter the size of the screen, With the business of television undergoing such a monumental transformation, this is the right moment to explore a reunification of our Academies, providing our members and our industry with a bolder voice advocating for them and a stronger partner to navigate the future with them.”

If the reunification talks continue, this would be the first time since the two Emmy organizations split back on June 30, 1977 that they have tried to come together, all of this after almost three decades of often uneasy and strained tension between the two.

The most recent joint change came in 2022 when a move of the game show categories went from NATAS to ATAS’ and now are in the Primetime Emmys.

Deadline notes that a unification of the two television academies who overall preside over nighttime and daytime programming would be similar how SAG and AFTRA used to represent performers from completely different dayparts of work.

Could the Daytime Emmys finally see some love in primetime and have their major categories televised as part of the annual kudofest every September? Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony will take place live on Monday, September 14th starting at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT and air on NBC and stream on Peacock emanating from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. While, the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards will take place on Friday, October 30, time to be announced, live from the Hollywood Palladium and will be streamed on watchtheemmys.tv

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is a service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy Awards for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime and Children’s & Family programming, as well as achievements in television Technology & Engineering.

The Television Academy (ATAS) strives to shape and advance the dynamic television landscape; cultivate a diverse, inclusive and accessible professional community; and advocate for the television industry while capturing the spirit of a new generation of content creators and industry professionals. Through innovative programs, publications and events, the Academy and its Foundation foster and empower storytellers. The Academy also celebrates those who excel in the industry recognizing their achievements through awards and accolades, including the renowned Emmy Award. Membership in the Academy is open to working professionals in the television industry.

So, would you like to see the Primetime Emmy and the Daytime Emmys fold into one show if the two unions reached a unification arrangement? Do you hope that after almost 50 years, the two organizations can finally make some serious headway? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 15

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The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 15, respectively.

General Hospital was next with 13 overall nominations, followed by Days of our Lives with 8 and The Bold and the Beautiful with 7 nods. The full reveal on Tuesday, follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.

The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony are set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California. The ceremony is currently planned to stream via watch.theemmys.tv and its associated apps. For the second year in a row, both the main Emmys and the Creative Arts will be presented together in one night.

Photo: CBS

In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”

“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”

The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.

Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories. Congratulations to all!

Photo: JPI

Outstanding Daytime Drama Series

Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series

Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates

Photo: ABC

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series

Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series

Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series

Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful

Photo: ABC

Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series

Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates

Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series

Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series

Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital

Photo: CBS

Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series

Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program

Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Daytime Talk Series

3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View

Photo: ABC

Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host

Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri

Outstanding Entertainment News Series

Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra

Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)

Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court

Photo: WBTV

Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program

Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime

Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program

Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”

Photo: CBS

Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program

Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273

Outstanding Costume Design / Styling for a Daytime Program

The Jennifer Hudson Show, Episode 4140
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Young and the Restless Episode 13149
The Young and the Restless Episode 13273

Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Live Daytime Program

The Bold and the Beautiful, Episode 9658
The Jennifer Hudson Show Episode 4039
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5007
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13260

Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Daytime Program

Beyond the Gates Episode 104
General Hospital Episode 15624
The Jennifer Hudson Show Episode 4010
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 6169
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”

Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design for a Daytime Program

The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Live with Kelly and Mark Episode 250414
The View Episode 6280
The Young and the Restless Episode 13145
The Young and the Restless Episode 13244

So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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