Breaking News
‘Empire’ Star Jussie Smollett Turns Himself In After Being Charged With Allegedly Filing False Police Report & Facing Criminal Charges
In major developments in the last several hours, Jussie Smollett (Jamal Lyon, Empire) turned himself in to Chicago police early Thursday morning, just hours after he was charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself late in January on the streets in Chicago.
In a press conference currently being conducted by the CPD supervisor, Eddie Johnson and Commander Edward Wodnick, they revealed that Smollett turned himself in quietly and without issue. In addition, the Chicago PD are outlining the events and timeline that led to Smollett’s arrest.
Smollett turned himself in at the Central District police station in Chicago at 5 a.m., police reported. Thursday morning, Smollett was scheduled to appear for a bail hearing Thursday at 1:30pm central time on a felony charge of a class 4 disorderly conduct, and with that charge Smollett could face up to 1.5 years in prison.
Jussie’s attorney’s released the following statement on Wednesday night after Smollett was charged by the Chicago PD: “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked. Given these circumstances, we intend to conduct a thorough investigation and to mount an aggressive defense.”
Smollett reported that he has been attacked as he was walking home around. He claimed two masked men shouted racist and homophobic slurs as they beat him, put a noose around his neck, and poured a chemical on to him.
Enter two brothers, Ola and Abel Osundairo, who Smollett knew, who were arrested last week, but later released as suspects. The two brothers told police they helped stage the attack with Smollett. They were paid $3,500 to orchestrate the attack by Smollett. In their press conference, the Chicago PD revealed that they have the check as evidence were Smollett paid the brothers that sum.
The brothers left for Nigeria hours after the attack, and were arrested days later when they returned to Chicago. On Wednesday, they testified to a grand jury. Smollett was later charged with disorderly conduct.
What do you think now about the events and the arrest of Jussie Smollett? Comment below! But first watch the Chicago PD police department.live feed of the press conference on Smollett’s arrest.
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how do I delete my sympathy from this site when the story first broke and we all were horrified for him. I have delete all his music and will never listen to his songs again. The shame he has brought to all gay men is tragic.
Now when others report attacks, people may be skeptical.
I don’t know that he has brought shame to all gay men. He himself is shameful and what he did is shameful. IMO it’s just tarnished him.
So true, Momo.
I feel nothing but contempt for Smollett. He is a usurper who took advantage of the turmoil going on……he knew/knows how strong the biases against Trump are…..used it to the hilt!!
He wished to garner sympathy…..blaming Trump supporters, as having low tolerance for blacks and gays? Other way around….It backfired!!
All he did was accomplish nothing…did not move any needle except for career suicide.
To be honest, brian, I had never heard of him before….I do not watch any program except LAW AND ORDER: SVU and FBI ( new show)…..I will catch NCIS on Tuesdays, when I can…..I dvr them most of the time. I love repeats of BOSTON LEGAL—-those writers have wit ( cannot compare to anyone else—they are intellectually over-the top) with a twisted sense of humor—love it!!
Sorry for regressing…. What I hear in the news is taking me aback. This guy had no regard for the hurt he was inflicting upon his own race; where the symbol of the noose is atrocious. What about the consumption of time spent where the police could have been engaged in real crimes?
Why? To bolster his career? To besmirch Trump and his supporters with his fake red-block threatening letters which read MAGA?
There were over two-hundred preventable crimes committed in Chicago during this Smollett (sp) farce ( if I heard right). The hours, the manpower, the overlooking of serious crimes and the monies spent over a falsehood is above reprimandable.
Sorry, brian….autocorrect hates me. LOL….I did type “digress”, yet when I wasn’t looking! autocorrect changed it to “regress”. HaHa.
As Momo remarked, this horrible “put-on” will be disastrous for those who truly are/will be victims of hate crimes–
I know first hand what two of my very best friends, who are gay and whom I have known since pre-school, have faced….the hate; the slurs; the mean, mocking looks…
Yes, homosexuality is seemingly accepted, in the modern world; however, the viciousness still exists. This guy, just set us back some, did he not? Shameful!! I hope he rots in he!!.
Brian,
Don’t feel shame for your sympathies ever.
This event came at the perfect time. I feel sympathy for Jussie too, he’s obviuosly a lazy couch potato, listening Whoopie and Joy’s hate filled rants on The View, every day, and became a bit unstable, thats all it is.
The world is coming into balance slowly.
Only racists, can fight racism.
Only homophobes can fight homophobia. I could go on, but the list is a black hole to Hell.
It only ends, when people start thinking for themselves, and banish their brainwashing.
Jussie did a great service in waking people up.
What an admirable way to phrase your sentences, VIEWE88!!
“Only racists can fight racism….only homophobes can fight homophobia.”….I never looked at it that way—-very philosophical of you!! And, I agree. Unless one knows a gay person well, or there is a family member who is gay; one will not understand that homosexuality is not a mental disorder, or that the parents did something wrong rearing their child.
You make so much sense……Smollett’s actions were an eye-opener. Yet, sadly, some people will never see the light; no matter how bright it shines.❤️
As a gay MAGA man, I would say that we still have to be kind to all and reserve judgment. I knew this was a hoax because people don’t stalk people in Chicago during a polar vortex, screaming this is MAGA country. I was in Chicago that week. It was too cold to walk a block, much less attack a man in a low crime part of the city. I’m concerned that our rush to believe people’s stories when they villainize people we fear, yet are misinformed about, well, I’m concerned the anger and violence it incites. I’ve been attacked physically and violently by my fellow gay men for voting for Trump. If I had reported these attacks on my safety, on my life, and my attackers convicted, would I have been greeted with warm words of support? Probably not. Therein lies the problem. We want to believe our tribe, and we want to vilify the ones we are told to hate. This is no different than the Russian revolution or the rise of fascism or even the taliban. But today, tribes who have been marginalized in the past are quick to believe the worst in our enemies. What if we all become individuals who think independently and reserve judgment until empirical facts are proven and available and stop aligning with our tribes and instead aligning with America. We all make America great. We had a recession and a few wars that we need to recover from. Maybe something so benign as MAGA has no meaning but what it says. With all due respect, no one should have run to his defense or rushed to judgment avoid the Covington boy or got on the me-too bandwagon during the Kavanaugh hearings. Victims often lie. We can have compassion, but development of opinions based on no facts is a problem in America that is ripping us apart. Even Robin Roberts looks foolish and unprofessional now. She needed this story to be true to support a narrative she may be too uncomfortable to re-evaluate and abandon. I’ve done that step, and I’d like everyone to join me in giving up our tribes and choosing our American family first over all else.
Kudos!!❤️
that “Covington” boy KNEW what he was doing… was this not more horrific , especially, coming from a child. AND now – he’s suing the Washington Post for $250 million dollars. The Native American chose to “forgive” him. and if that was shared by that “Covington” boy.. then I hope he has no chance with his lawsuit. I cried.. I literally sat their crying as this was going on. I agree with your message. do not be so quick to act.. be it for or against.. rushing to judgment … in the heated moment is not easy
i’m sorry you were victimized. I will never stand with McConnell, and Graham. EVER. this 2 year obliteration of all we hold dear to our democracy. is in shambles AND all the people of middle class and the lower socio-economic are paying for it. along with people of color. at this time I find it unfathomable that LGBT Men and women would fight amongst themselves because of their political affiliate ? that’s what the GOP WANT. Godspeed
Hey, Patrick,
The media was quick enough to rush to judgment over Nicholas, the Covington student. I don’t know exactly what you mean, Patrick. He knew what he was doing? He wasn’t doing anything except waiting for the bus and wearing a Maga hat. The Indian approached him….beating that drum in his face. An old jailbird instigating a fifteen-year-old!!
Phillips has a criminal record—plus, he lied about serving in the Vietnam war–he is a vagabond.
Did you not see the videos and hear what went on before the media decided to show only “what we saw”? The black Hebrew Israelites were ferocious and disgusting against children—-who were only there to march for Pro-Life. A very peaceful demonstration…..unlike ANTIFA, adults–rebels without a cause who have no clue what fascism is.
Perhaps you missed the aftermath, Patrick, my friend—-everyone apologized to the kid, not to the Indian; once the truth came out.
The Indian should be put back in prison, as the instigating mean-face, that he is.
I thank God, Trump has been in Office these past two years. Isis would have spread globally like wildfire.
I dread to think what will happen to this country if he loses the 2020 election.
Excellent post. As an African American Trump supporter I feel you. It is insane what all this “tribal” nonsense have done to critical thinking. People in my own family and friends have called me names for supporting Trump, or I should say supporting our president and praying for the country to succeed. No one president have ever been perfect and I in agreement with all their policies, but I do think it is important to allow an individual to feel free to support who they want and don’t attack them for it. Jussie fell into the attention seeking, everything goes as long as you can trash Trump and his supporters trap, set up by the mainstream media. They will support you no matter who you are as long as you gave out the Trump trashing talking points. He knew by saying MAGA it would blow up his popularity. Too bad for him, he will be more known for the hoax than his talent,
Hi Brian – I agree with @Momo that this is not a representation of ALL gay men. as this indirectly does not constitute a legal HATE CRIME. he did this because he wanted empathy ???? AND he thought “Empire” would throw a little bit more cash on all his paychecks? Money and Greed turned his mind ? AND he brought this all on himself. I don’t know how much he was making off of his music… PLUS his salary from the show. I’ve never heard of him prior to EMPIRE. dag! he wanted it all, right here and now. who doesn’t ? yet, I will stand with ; you and I and all friends of.. and live the life we bear and VOTE and fight for equality, for people of color and LGBTQ.
even if I’ve never watched Empire nor heard his music… I knew in the back recesses that this man was making inroad AND featuring a GAY MAN.
when you hear on the news that , like never before, hate crimes RISEN … AND you have that much more groups of people with differing viewpoints who are readily sharing supremacy ?
in the past 2 years… you would think we are becoming unglued.. not caring of our fellow man and taking liberties of ignoring our constitution.
Salute
How to get a pay raise by Jussie Smollett: mail yourself a threatening letter. If that doesn’t do it, orchestrate an assault. Lie to police and go on TV and continually lie, showing your bosses how great an actor you are. This will surely get their attention. If confronted with irrefutable evidence that you organized it all, keep lying! Your bosses will surely appreciate your dedication to the lie!
I hope he gets prison time and loses his job. He went on a PR run after his “attack”. He really put the spotlight on the Chicago PD and Chicago.
He has lied to police before.
He just continually lied. I wouldn’t want to work with him.
There are better ways to go about getting a raise and publicity. How stupid and sad he resorted to this.
hi Momo–
He has ”lost his job”
he will not go to prison he is charged with disorderly conduct.
Nonetheless; He has created for himself his own prison.
I read that he’ll probably get probation, but considering the magnitude and scope of his lying and how he basically went on a PR run repeating his lies, I think he should get some prison time AND a huge fine.
Maybe if he’s charged with federal crimes, that might create some prison time.
How did he think he could get away with this??? It just boggles the mind.
@Momo…From your lips to the justice system’s ears! I would love to see this fool get a no-nonsense judge with some really creative sentencing moves…like making Smollett wear a MAGA hat 24/7 for at least 30 days….be it in the slammer or on display in the public square! Now THAT would truly be just desserts for this criminal’s utterly shameful attempts to not only impugn our president and his supporters, but to further inflame racial tensions in our country.
“growing” UP “Gay” is a myriad
I don’t know what drove Jussie.. he was sustainable; able to take care of himself at all time.
if you are not dependent on any “one” to live out your life? and do this? yes you made the spotlight, yet apparently you weren’t being paid enough.. AND thought – effect – would
I don’t think you were being pressured… by your bloated demon???? come on ! Jessie you could take care of yourself. walk the fine line, mind the safety net, AND vote AND public speak, USE OUR WALK as struggle
??? I don’t see this as any more than an incident.. comparable to the past 2 years of sludge AND for the books record of slamming people OUT
GOD they must yield a lot . LINE your pocketbook… the hands out senators who buckle, especially blinding when you majority
lobbyists one hand feeding the other
those kicked to the curb and gerrymandering and voter fraud
all those attempts that did it
I vote every time. the blue wave did something.. all this “awareness” on the internet AND “FOX”
I still voted from the gut… I still voted for pride of our country.. I still voted my instinct… I still voted what I was taught
YES its at times in your face LGBTQ African American… does People of Color sting ? lesbian gay bisexual transgender ?? Queer ?
I WAS BORN THIS WAY… this is hurting people
you tack in people of color .. because you cause infighting… filters
AND I want to share that I filter obvious
thru thick and thin this America was strong I don’t see it
HELP
Oh, Patrick…..this is an incident to you? Not an incident. It’s a crime!! Punishable by law—-an assault to all that’s right!! Do you consider the verbal assault on Trump’s young son, and his grandchildren an incident, as well? Not laden with hate? …. so heavy, it will explode everywhichway? They are children, for goodness sakes. Taboo. Keep out.
If there is mail fraud, this jerk needs jail time. No excuses…no one forced his hand…..even as a hoax—sending himself white powder? Sick. Disturbed. Anyone who naysays this.
@Patrick…..Instead of looking at this “incident,” as another means of dividing us, I prefer to consider it as a watershed moment which has finally united usually disparate groups in utter disgust! The notion that anyone would concoct such a phony scenario in order to attract attention for themselves is simply wrong on so many levels…legally, morally and socially….It disrespects those who have suffered actual attacks like the one purported, not to mention, the people of Chicago who are in desperate need of every ounce of police protection the city can muster. There are already plenty of public means to voice one’s opinions on the state of this country and its times…but this sordid stunt, no matter the motivation, was wholly inappropriate and should not be defended or excused, but denounced by all of us who are law-abiding American citizens, regardless of our differing political and personal loyalties.
Hey, SuzieQ—-so far, he is charged with disorderly conduct….However, the charges are not all presented. There IS a small, little thing called, MAIL FRAUD!! That’s jail time, if proven……..FEDERAL crime!! Just ask my parents!! LOL.
If the courts let him go, in case he has no previous, outstanding black marks against him; there may be an uproar. We will hear other criminals ( and he is a criminal, at this point) who may go up in arms, if they are serving a sentence for a similar crime.
By the same token, lawmen/lawmakers must prove a point—-one cannot get away with playing with fire. A baby died during this investigation ( correct me if I’m wrong-I think), and so many other crimes because of police shortage.
Chicago is already known as a most criminally overwhelmed city—-it’s “windy”, all right!! Back to the Wild, Wild, (Mid) West!!!!—– this ridiculous, egotistcal, fake, concoction of a story does not bode well for this idiot….I guess we must sympathize with him? Is this a cry for help? Does he have family? There are so many questions! He had the life!! He ruined it for a little attention? And as he spoke of President Trump ( for no resson at all–yet Trump is to blame) in his interview with Robin, I felt chills—-the hate and disdain for him was palpable and tangible. I can’t even imagine what would be in someone’s soul to hate ANYONE with such intensity.
Hi Celia 🙂
Time will tell- have to go through this first;
Federal law enforcement sources tell us they’re still investigating the letter and have drawn no conclusions. Both federal and state law enforcement sources say the operating theory was that the 2 brothers — Abel and Ola Osundairo — may have mailed the letter because, when cops raided their apartment and seized magazines, there were pages missing.
The FBI tells they are assisting Chicago PD in determining who sent the letter. We asked repeatedly if they are conducting an independent mail fraud investigation, but they will neither confirm nor deny.
The brothers were paid to do Smollett’s bidding, my SuzieQ…..if you ask me, Jussie is a perpetrator with a serious mental dysfunction. No sane person would go through such criminal machinations and lengths to satisfy whatever hunger is within him/her. Too messy—so many clues left behind.
The brothers are just as guilty, of course—- I bet Abel is the good brother. Oops–forgive me–no Bible jokes. Such a sinner, I am!!
If he wanted more money, he could have gotten a second job…..My father worked three jobs, and then some, as a teen, to save for College….and then law school. My grandparents helped as much as they could…..but, none of them devised anything criminal to get ahead. This is typical of anyone trying to make a living. Why did he think the money tree was readily available to him? And in such an evil way!! Greed and dishonesty are a bad combination.
Smollett is a spoiled brat, if you ask me. Did he think he would get away with it? Regardless of whatever punishment, he has still committed a crime. It will not blow over….especially if he is charged with mail fraud. It matters not who sent the letter. Smollett directed those guys to do it. He was the mastermind. I want to smack him a few rounds.
Perhaps, I’m not as charitable as you or others, but my blood runs cold when I think of the loss of life while the cops were busy investigating this farce of a crime.
He does have a DUI. When stopped he gave police his brother’s name and signed his brother’s name so a history of lying to police,
I always thought Jussie had a great talent, killer smile, and was a huge asset to “Empire.” When he appeared on “Live With Kelly,” he had a great spirit that made me wonder if he might eventually be her permanent co-host. This story made me sick when it happened and I never thought the result would be that Jussie orchestrated the attack.
As I watched the press conference this morning, I held out hope that he was still telling the truth. Now, it makes me realize how much damage has been done by this stunt for attention. We live in a society that bases a “good day” by how many likes we get on social media. Jussie had a great future ahead of him, including music and other shows that might have come his way. It appears those opportunities will no longer be there at his finger tips. He should have been happy with the success he has had on “Empire,” the opportunity to learn from Tarija and Terrance, and appreciate the fact that he had been given a great opportunity that many unemployed actors would have loved to have been given four years ago.
I think Jussie needs help. His narcissism took valuable sources away from the Chicago Police department. His career is now in shambles. How are fans of the show going to accept that someone that tried to pass this off as racism and still accept him on the show?
“His narcissism took valuable sources away from the Chicago Police department.”
Yes! He ought to have to repay the city for the expenses incurred in investigating his lies.
And I think this is so much worse than just an individual making a false police report because it got national attention, he went on TV talking about, he talked about it at his concert.
Are you that hungry for publicity that you will pretend to be a victim? It diminishes true victims. The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
Momo…. Beautiful post!!❤️
He could also get federal charges if he mailed that threat to himself. FBI is investigating. He’s in a world of trouble. I think FOX has to write him for the rest of the season at least.
Used to watch “Empire”, but don’t anymore. I guess Jamal can take a trip or go to jail.
Guilty? Yep and the beaches in the Bahamas consist powdery white sand! He is or should I say was a horrible actor! I knew when he talked to Robin Roberts he was lying! Then, he refused to give his phone to the police. Why? He said he was protecting his lover and had personal info on there. Right. AND evidence that you hired these two clowns to be in your circus! Why wouldnt you help the police? All you did was waste the police departments time, give Chicago another black mark in regards to their high crime rate and make yourself look like a fool!
hey Timmm–
He will get a fine and community service.
What he did was dirty, bad bad bad..
but- he is charged with ‘disorderly conduct.
The law won’t be the tool to greatly punish him, he will be his own downfall.
And that sums that up Timmm. You just sit back outraged at his blatant ignorance to think this was at all a good idea, and disregard of those who backed him. He needs locking up. He needs a mental health exam. Jurnee and his other siblings will pay the price for his stupidity as well. I’m gobsmacked. How utterly appalling and embarrassing.
I dont even want to get pulled over for running a red light. I dont get how people like this on this earth have no fear or respect for the law?
I know, T…..the only time I was pulled over? …..late for class and I crossed over, to the HOV lane prematurely ( my sister was riding shotgun). I didn’t even realize I did anything wrong—-chatting away with my sister—-
Guess what I did, Timmmy? I cried…..the cop let me go with a warning. …..was NEVER pulled over again!! I am the most perfect driver!! Yup. LOL.
Seriously, this thing was such a fallacy. This guy must be really dumb ( for a thirty-six-year-old), or truly naive, thinking he would get away with it!!
It really is quite mind-boggling, isn’t it, Timmm? Guess in this case, the perpetrator thought the ends “jussified” the means! Now even “Precious” has abandoned this fool…his goose is truly cooked! Serves him right!
He’s gone well beyond making himself look like a fool. If he is found guilty, which seems highly likely, he will have destroyed his own career and gotten himself a prison term.
For sure, Sonniosorlita…..yet, as the media describes his actions……. ( paraphrasing)….”yes, what Smollett did was not right, of course…. but Trump and his supporters are still racist”——the media is actually downplaying what this criminal did by sugarcoating his actions and blaming ME and calling ME a white supremacist. I speak for all white, Trump supporters.
Well, what about the black Trump supporters? There are plenty out there. Are they racist?
What about the gay community who supports Trump? Are they homophobes? This guy is no impressionable child!! He’s way past his “formative” years, and then some.
This is where our history comes into play—-the slave owners were all democrats, until such time it became advantageous to all….
The KKK—startd by democrats to suppress newly freed slaves their rights, after the Civil War…no matter how new authors try to debunk this fact, I know my history.
The Clintons are the best representation of this fact, regardless how much they prance about as tolerant of all things black!! Hypocrites!! Obama called Hillary a racist during his presidential debate because of her association with KKK leader, Robert Byrd. What about her racist comment caught on camera? …as recent as Oct. of 2018–she jocked around, thinking the mic wasn’t on, “They all look alike”….referring to blacks.
Don’t even get me started on Joe Biden who makes racist comments about black people living in Michigan.
But, gee….no one hears about them—only Trump.
Forgive my tirade, Sonniorsolita, but it is so overwhelmingly frustrating to hear these journalists/ panelists trying to excuse this guy by holding Trump supporters accountable for his culpability.
Up to date, the Oscar hypocrites who preach peace, love and equality attacked Trump on what was supposed to be another historic night! Thanks to the classless Spike Lee, Maya Rudolph and Striesand, you showed us who you really are. Also, best picture, the Green Book. What! Bradley and Lady Ga Ga, you were the true winners! Classy and capable! Also, Sam Elliot, you were robbed to!
So pissed off! I wanted to believe that someone was out to get him. This is just self-sabotage. WTH??? I stood up for him on social media pages, saying innocent until proven guilty. I bet a lot of other people did, too. What a let down. He should be ashamed of himself. Lost me as a fan; that’s for sure.
OK– a confession, he is chin deep in trouble.
What a brain dead thing to do, for a publicity stunt.
He was not my favorite brother on Empire I like Hakeem.
Jussie is a black gay man, on screen and off, that was unusual and he has a great voice.
What a shame seeing him destroy his life.
Attorney- ”’; “Like any other citizen, Mr. Smollett enjoys the presumption of innocence, particularly when there has been an investigation like this one where information, both true and false, has been repeatedly leaked””
”’Smollett was charged with disorderly conduct.”’
Anyways it will soon be forgotten,,
I truly appreciate that Empire chose to feature a gay black man. YES… VERY unusual.. as the Black Community to this day… will never wholly accept homosexuality. WHY ? I don’t know… as this is just another ring it up against them.. they will never concede.. because of their machismo… and perhaps by women seen as weak… who knows? I will relentlessly voice my opinion on this subject matter.. as all races PLUS sexual orientation in all people of color.. should be on even footing. so much infighting… for naught. have the tactics of fear mongering by the current GOP AND the GOP of the last two years .. done their job? legislated everything they could to keep people of color and sexual orientation stamped out ? kicked to the curb. I don’t think we have totally done ourselves a disservice that we cannot rebound. my only exclamation at this time.. is sincerely supporting the house of representatives do their job and campaign that much for 2020… which is just next year. SALUTE
As an openly gay man, I am angry, stunned, furious and saddened that this case turned out the way that it did. I had strong suspicions right from the get go that Jussie’s story was bogus. When Chicago police didn’t find any surveillance footage of the actual attack, I knew that Mr. Smollet’s tale of woe was going off the rails. Just to be clear, I am not African-American, I am white. For him to hire two men to help stage this “attack” and use a noose which has an extremely negative and horrible legacy from the many lynchings that blacks have suffered hundreds of years ago, is appalling and disgusting and beyond the pale.
We as a country but more importantly, the LGBTQ and African-American communities must confront the issues that have arisen as a result of Mr. Smollet’s actions. It is my opinion that he could very well have set the advances of the LGBTQ and African-American communities back considerably. Although, I hope that that is not the case.
I urge the unions that represent actors and actresses cut Mr. Smollet from said unions and revoke his medical/health care insurance AND also urge Fox’s ‘Empire’ to tear up Mr. Smollet’s contract, fire him from the show, cut any upcoming scenes in which he is set to appear in and also deny him payment for those scenes. There must be a strong and united front against the very actions of this man who perpetrated this horrendous crime.
While Smollet is to enjoy the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, he is clearly guilty of his actions and it my hope that the prosecutors in Cook County Illinois throw the proverbial book at him and make sure that he serves a very stiff sentence and that the federal government also takes strong measures against Smollet.
Lastly, I applaud the two brothers for coming forward with the information that ultimately broke this case wide open and wholeheartedly thank the Chicago Police Department for their thorough investigation into this matter and presented the evidence to the prosecutor’s office. Without their due diligence and hard work, we may never have known the full story.
I would cry
As a gay MAGA myself, I have been targeted by radical fascists from the left. Since 2015, I can count almost 20 occasions when I was harassed and attacked, on a couple occasions violently, by unhinged anarchists who have decided I’m an enemy, as if a collective switch flipped on to trigger mobs who live in an echo chamber to become irrational and outraged about EVERYTHING. I’ve NEVER been a victim of a hate crime for being gay. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been bullied for being gay. That means, since 2015, my “community” has attacked me 4 times as much as gay bashes have done my enthtr life. What this individual has done has damaged people from all walks. 1) Future hate crimes may be viewed too skeptically. 2) MAGA folks aren’t running around attacking people; we are the ones being attacked! I’m living proof! This guy had to hire actors to carry out this hoax because there aren’t people like me wearing red hats and stalking minoriities. MAGA is all Americans. This man highjacked that slogan and used it once again to incite anger and place us in the crosshairs once again. 3) The arbitrary changing of the meanings of phrases and words because of misguided social justice battles actually hurts the cause. The R word has become so ubiquitous that it has lost its meaning. Racism is an institution. It is evil. His hoax just slapped the faces of all the innocent black Americans who truly were victims of racism. Ropes? Bleach? This is sick. It’s cruel. It makes a mockery of the people who suffered. I’m nauseated because this is so deplorable. 4) Chicago! My state’s largest city and my second hometown has been damaged by this. Think of the interruption to manpower that could have been used to protect the most vulnerable from gun violence! What if violent riots had broken out? Finally, what about Chicago’s reputation? Many parts of the city are safe enough to walk around at night. It’s not like people are getting shot all over the city. It’s definitely not a city where white people stalk black people, and black people aren’t stalking white people. This city has endured too much for this ignorant misinformed punk to hurt its reputation. Chicago IS MAGA country though because making America great again is something the people of Chicago do every day as they recover from setbacks and endure and excel. Trump doesn’t own that phrase. Bill Clinton said it many times. 5) HIS SHOW! He may have hurt the show irreparably. Hopefully not. But other people who work on that show depend on their paychecks. He showed zero regard for his coworkers and their security. He just wanted a pay raise and attention and to further enforce the Trump/MAGA myth to stoke outrage. Fellow Americans: we need to stop allowing the media and political “leaders” to divide us. They’ve been doing this for a long long time. It… Read more »
I am an Independent/Libertarian, Scot….and, a Trump supporter. The only choice which makes sense. As an avid believer in national and global follower of politics and its science; I do speak with a modicum of educated knowledge. I definitely do not parrot news; fake news…..nor do I fall, mouth agape, like a wide-eyed gullible fool to whatever propaganda is thrown out there.
I think I can discern veracity from mendacity and weed-out the ridiculous from the truth.
Trump followers are the racists, the homophobes, the liars, the uneducated, the misogynists, the Walmart shoppers, the evil, the heartless, the haters!! Right!! This is what’s out there on a daily basis. None of us is perfect—–to lump us all ( Trump supporters) into one bushel, with a few rotten apples, proves the ignorance of those who utter “them there” words. I never use the word hate….but, there is no stronger expression for me. Thus, dems….hate me if you must; but do not hate me for having different opinions, ideals, and principles from yours.
As you emphasized, Scot—we are all Americans. A proud capitalist country—-no other country in the world can compare to our democracy; our econom; our sense of being; our independence; our goodnesd, our ideals—-please let’s not drown in socialism—never works!!
MAGA!! You are right Trump did not invent that phrase. It was started by Regan and constantly used by Randy Billy Boy Clinton. Yet, because Trump adoptedit, it has become dirty and offensive.❤️
What a beautifully passionate post, Scot! Touche’! I would like to expound upon your notion regarding the left’s well-entrenched stereotype of the in-your-face Trump voter as an ardent wearer of MAGA hats! I happen to live in a highly-Republican area which overwhelmingly supported our president, and I can safely say that in the normal course of any given day since the run-up to the 2016 election, I have seen exactly ONE person donning such headgear in a public, non-political venue. It was an elderly gentleman customer at my bank…a salt-of-the-earth type who was probably of the WW2 generation and who politely held the door for me as I was exiting the business premises…as such, I both thanked him and complimented him on his hat. (Thinking in the back of my mind that I hoped nobody would harass this lovely old man for wearing it were he to wander into unfriendly territory!…..) Even though nearly everyone I know supported DJT, none of us has gone out and about in this supposed fashion staple on any occasion or for any reason, most especially in order to menace people of color or trigger liberals in general.!!! Quite frankly, few of us even own such items and of the ones who do, their caps are strictly kept stored as collectors’ mementos or to appropriately wear whilst golfing at our local private club where nobody seems to object. In other words, the image of all Trump voters being rednecks-at-large who take “great” delight in offending the masses by the regular wearing of that now-famous red hat is largely a myth. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be caught dead in one….not because I am ashamed to be a Trump supporter, but due to the fact I simply don’t care for any ballcaps as a style statement! Furthermore, I am very discrete in my political activities…I don’t make public declarations with yardsigns, bumper stickers, tee-shirts, anything! And in this day and age, not only do I choose to be private for privacy’s sake, but also because you never know who is unhinged and could act out against one’s person solely based upon a difference of political opinion. And that is a very sad statement of where we are in this country today! The Constitution is supposed to allow all of us the freedom to declare our views and loyalties regardless of whether it pleases one and all…but apparently, in the “Age of Trump,” such rights no longer exist for those of us who have the audacity to love our country and support its leader!
Hi, Shaybelle,
To parrot you, I have never worn a cap, of the sort, in my life—I have been tempted, many times, on the Vineyard during my College days, but, I resisted, LOL…
Nevertheless, it is ridiculous not to have the freedom to wear a MAGA hat for fear of being harassed or killed even, by some nutcase.
Then, we have Bill Maher, who disgustingly pulls the elite card, dares to spew his ignorant rhetoric that the ‘red’ states are envious and stupid —“They want to be us”……and, albeit NY and MA may ’tilt’ blue, I certainly do not want to be “them”…..As hypocritical as those who turn the tables and call Trump and his supporters as the disseminators of hate—-it’s the other way around–who hates Jews? Who refers to these noble people as termites? Who commands people to do harm/get in Trump supporters’ faces etc.?
My father said it was never like this. There was always some dispute, disagreement between parties….but, this new ‘enlightened’ party, who all copy each other’s fake philosophies and embrace perilous socialist ideologies are embarking on treacherous waters. Who will suffer? The little guy!!
The hate and the spite grows like a cancer. We are Americans, yet some hate the president more than they love their country.
It simply breaks my heart. I have many democratic friends; my husband is a democrat–we do not tear each other apart—we have discussions; disagreements; pros and cons—-nothing like this….to blame everything that goes wrong on one man is infantile, narrow-minded and disdainful.
By, the by, Shay….I have tried contacting you….I do not see my posts. Then again, I am not alerted to receiving notifications. So, I need to go to the individual sites to look–it’s hit or miss….
Later, amica bella. ❤️
Another great post there, CeeCeeGirl! I always enjoy your political comments because they are so well-reasoned and chock full of actual facts to back up your opinions! I often respond to such remarks with both praise and agreement, although my posts frequently do not make it online. (Two on this thread alone, plus one to Timmm regarding the Oscars….Hey, I’m on a roll! Oh, and I also joined in your Anna/Finn discussion on another thread and it didn’t make the cut either….) At any rate, I respect both your intellect and tenacity, particularly when it comes to politics…you put countless other millennials to shame in that respect! (The idea that so many easily embrace socialism drives me to despair! Seems they value the notion of “free stuff” far more than “freedom,” which is truly disheartening…sigh!) Needless to add, I would love to have an opportunity for more back-and-forth on this subject for which we obviously share a real passion….alas, this is apparently not the appropriate forum for that to happen, but please know that I welcome and relish your thoughts whenever things inevitably turn toward these more volatile issues…’Tis a shame we cannot chat in person, since along with the gossip and soaptalk that would, of course, be the first order of the day, the current state of our country would undoubtedly be another topic we could tackle with equal enthusiasm. Anyway, just wanted you to know that your words were received, appreciated, and most definitely, not ignored!. Later, mia amica!
Bravo!!!!!!!! Well said Scot. Amen!!!!!!
The man is a 36-year-old disgrace, not too young to not know better. To him: You trade on the hideous history of lynching of Black people and so much more in your selfish idiocy if not mental illness. You blur plot lines with real life. If you were constructive, you would have taken your free time to write a “mystery” play, a suspenseful book, a story-song…not script this absurd scenario for “real-life” and think you can get away with such narcissism. I will not mention your name, because somehow it must tickle you that you are a major news item and your mug show is on the cover of newspapers as was seen in New York City today. Lastly, EMPIRE is a night-time soap as DYNASTY was back in the day. Just as Fallon and Steven Carrington were re-cast, I hope the powers-that-be will immediately find a talented African American, gay singer/actor to take over his role.
“mug shot,” that is…”mug show” is probably his impression of such “publicity.”
This whole thing is sickening. I was one of the people that commented my support for Jussie on here when this first happened. I’m sorry I did. I feel taken advantage of, and I don’t like it. He prayed on people’s emotions, he played into the real life issues that are going on in the country today. All for his own selfish reasons. There are many people out there that legitimately do get attacked because of their race, sexual orientation, or religion, and all this is going to do is make it harder for those people to be believed in the future. That’s the real shame of this.
I hope Jussie is prosecuted for his crimes, and equally as important, I hope he gets the mental help that he clearly so desperately needs.
I think the media has spent far too much time on the guy from Empire!!! Better spent on the efforts of FBI and law enforcement who found the home grown, Coast Guard Lt/ex-Marine who had more guns than I’m sure the founding fathers ever thought we would want or need, and wanted to kill “everyone,” including targeted politicians. Wonder what makes someone like him tick?
Just in, his character has been cut from the final two episodes of “Empire”.
Okay, not only did you not get a raise, but you got less pay. So, how’d the whole attack plan work out for ya, huh?
I think he’s incredibly greedy. He earned $100,000 per episode. Does he know how many people would be thrilled to make a portion of that salary??!’
Maybe he didn’t want to give his agent a percentage of his pay raise so he decided to “negotiate” It himself. I would like to know how he thought him being attacked would result in a pay raise.
He should be charged with a hate crime. He did it times 3: gays, blacks, and Trump supporters and it all backfired horrendously.
Breaking News
Groundbreaking Star of ‘Dynasty’ and ‘Julia’, Diahann Carroll Dies At 84
One of the beautiful and beloved actresses in the world, Diahann Carroll, has passed away in heartbreaking news on Friday. Carroll died at her home in Los Angeles after a long bout with cancer, according to her daughter, producer-journalist Suzanne Kay.
Carroll, who was first-known for her amazing singing voice, and then as an actress, received a Tony Award and an Oscar nomination in her legendary career. She also make television history for her turns on Julia and Dynasty.
In her role as Julia, Carroll, became the first African American female to star in a non-stereotypical role in her own primetime network series . Julia, premiered in September 1968, finished No. 7 in the ratings in the first of its three seasons, and Carroll received an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe for her work.
Photo ABC
And later in her career, after loving ABC’s primetime soap, Dynasty, Carroll got the attention of producer Aaron Spelling to create a role on the show for her. And thus she became the one and only Dominique Deveraux … the half-sister of Blake Carrington (John Forstyhe).
That part broke ground as well, for Diahann in 1984, became the first featured African American character on a prime time soap. Carroll later appeared on the Dynasty spinoff, The Colbys, In films, Carroll earned her Oscar nomination for her work in Claudine (1974),
Diahann was married four times. In addition to her daughter, she is survived by her grandchildren, August and Sydney.
For more on the passing of Diahann Carroll check out the Hollywood Reporter.
Share your remembrances and condolences on the passing of Diahann Carroll via the comment section below.
As The World Turns
Emmy Winner and Noted Soap Opera Head Writer; Hogan Sheffer Passes Away At 61
Over the last several hours, reports have broke that one of daytime’s most notable scribes has died. Hogan Sheffer, who was head writer at As the World Turns, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless has passed away at the age of 61.
Soap Hub, first reported the news via multiple sources, however, many writers who worked with Hogan during his tenure on the soaps have taken to social media to share their condolences and their grief and remembrances.
Sheffer’s appearance on the soap scene was unexpected, especially in a genre where it is often rare for new blood to take the reins at the head writer position. Proctor & Gamble had decided to bring in Hogan after his work as the Director of Screenplay Development for DreamWorks, not because of his writing credits for a previous network soap. He was given trial deal as a breakdown writer for the CBS soap and 10-weeks in became the beloved town of Oakdale’s new head writer.
Hogan and his then writing team were able to turn the classic, As the World Turns around. The show went up in the ratings and during his time with the series ‘World Turn’s’ won two Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series, and he and the writing team picked up four Emmy victories all through 2000-2004.
Photo: JPI
Next, Sheffer landed in Salem as head writer of Days of our Lives along with Meg Kelly from 2006 through to the beginning of 2008. He would later join The Young and the Restless and team up with then head writers: Maria Arena Bell and Scott Hamner, and eventually stay with the show till 2012. During Sheffer’s time in Genoa City, Y&R also won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in 2011.
On Sunday, former WWE and daytime writer Tom Casiello, who was extremely close with Sheffer… and who shared how Hogan gave him his start at writing in daytime, took to his Facebook page to pay tribute to a man who had such an impact on his life and many others. It is worth the read here.
Y&R writer, Sara Bibel tweeted: “Hogan Sheffer was a gamechanger for ATWT and daytime. Everyone I know who worked with him adored him. RIP”
And, iconic ATWT star, Martha Byrne (Ex-Lily) tweeted on Sheffer’s passing: “To say he was one of a kind would be a tremendous understatement. Our years at ATWT with Hogan at the helm were a rebirth for our beautiful show. Loved his writers, actors,crew. Blessed to have him on the first floor in Brooklyn ready to listen. Talented. Funny. Generous. RIP”
Colleen Zenk (Ex-Barbara, ATWT) also took to Twitter upon learning of the passing of Sheffer sharing: “I loved him, loved him, loved him… he was so good to me. Thank you for everything, Hogan. You were so loved. Especially, by me… Rest in peace…”
Michael Fairman TV will continue to bring you updates as the soap world mourns the loss of a creative force in our genre. Share your condolences and thoughts on the death of Hogan Sheffer via the comment section below.
Breaking News
B&B’s Darin Brooks and Y&R’s Kelly Kruger Welcome Their Daughter Into The World
This past Sunday was one of the happiest days for real-life duo Darin Brooks (Wyatt, B&B) and Kelly Kruger (Mackenzie, Y&R) when their daughter Everleigh Jolie Brooks made her entrance into the family. Everleigh was born in Los Angeles at 4:13am and weighed in at 9 lbs and 1 oz and 21.5 inches long.
Kelly told PEOPLE.com about the birth of her new little bundle of joy: “We keep looking at her in disbelief that we made her/ We look at her and try to figure out who she looks more like. She has my hair because I also was born with a ton, and she definitely has Darin’s height.” Darin commented: “Long lean and with great hair — she’s already a supermodel!”
Today on Thursday, Kruger tweeted: “She’s here! Everleigh Jolie Brooks 9/22/19 We are so in love!!!”
While hubby, Brooks tweeted: “She’s heeeeerrrreeeee!!! Welcome Everleigh Jolie Brooks! Born on 09/22/2019 These two little munchkins changed my life @KrugerKelly”
Send your congratulations and well-wishes to Darin, Kelly and their baby girl Everleigh via the comment section below!
Katelyn MacMullen Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary On GH; Now, What Will Happen When Willow Finds Out The Truth About Wiley?
Chloe Lanier’s New Short Film ‘The Reveal’ Releases First Trailer
DAYS Camila Banus Delivers The ‘Power Performance of the Week’
WATCH: Jonathan Jackson + Enation’s New Music Video “The Days Are Evil”
TODAY: Ron Carlivati’s Dad Appears on DAYS
Y&R’s Eric Braeden Lip-Syncs For A Good Cause
B&B’s Matthew Atkinson Talks On Thomas’ Vendetta With Brooke & Playing The Manipulative Bad Boy Of The Forrester Clan
AMBITIONS Returns With All-New Episodes In November
Felicity Huffman Reports To Prison To Serve Sentence For College Admissions Scandal
DAYS Camila Banus Talks Stabi’s Heartbreaking Love Story; Matthew Ashford Melissa Reeves Chat On JnJ Reunion On ‘Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast’
General Hospital’s Cynthia Watros Delivers The ‘Power Performance of the Week’
GH’s Maurice Benard Launches ‘State of Mind’ Website
B&B’s Matthew Atkinson Talks On Thomas’ Vendetta With Brooke & Playing The Manipulative Bad Boy Of The Forrester Clan
Christel Khalil To Appear On Upcoming Episode Of Y&R
DYNASTY Ups Four To Series Regulars As Season Three Kicks-Off
Crystal Hunt and Donna Mills Headline New PureFlix Streaming Comedy Series, ‘Mood Swings’
Y&R’s Eric Braeden Lip-Syncs For A Good Cause
Drew Barrymore Daytime Talker A Go: Set For Launch 2020
DAYS Camila Banus Delivers The ‘Power Performance of the Week’
DAYS Camila Banus Talks Stabi’s Heartbreaking Love Story; Matthew Ashford Melissa Reeves Chat On JnJ Reunion On ‘Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast’
Chloe Lanier’s New Short Film ‘The Reveal’ Releases First Trailer
WATCH: Jonathan Jackson + Enation’s New Music Video “The Days Are Evil”
GH’s Maurice Benard Launches ‘State of Mind’ Website
James Patrick Stuart Finally Gets His Photo In The Hallways at General Hospital: Watch What Happens!
GH’s Genie Francis Talks Laura Then and Now on ‘A Spoonful Of Paolo’
CW’s DYNASTY Season Three Preview
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Brooke is “Slap” Happy … And Don’t We Love It?
DAYS Kate Mansi Talks ‘Chad & Abby in Paris’ With KTLA Morning News
GH’s James Patrick Stuart Performs “My Dear” As Valentin Serenades Nina
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Brooke Bitch-Slaps Thomas!
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General HospitalOctober 12, 2019General Hospital’s Cynthia Watros Delivers The ‘Power Performance of the Week’
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General HospitalOctober 13, 2019GH’s Maurice Benard Launches ‘State of Mind’ Website
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InterviewsOctober 16, 2019B&B’s Matthew Atkinson Talks On Thomas’ Vendetta With Brooke & Playing The Manipulative Bad Boy Of The Forrester Clan
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The Young and the RestlessOctober 14, 2019Christel Khalil To Appear On Upcoming Episode Of Y&R
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DynastyOctober 11, 2019DYNASTY Ups Four To Series Regulars As Season Three Kicks-Off
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Guiding Light R.I.P.October 11, 2019Crystal Hunt and Donna Mills Headline New PureFlix Streaming Comedy Series, ‘Mood Swings’
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NewsOctober 16, 2019Y&R’s Eric Braeden Lip-Syncs For A Good Cause
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NewsOctober 11, 2019Drew Barrymore Daytime Talker A Go: Set For Launch 2020