"Beyond Embarrassed": What Lee Daniels Thinks Now - Updated

Last week, for a moment, it looked as if Jussie Smollett would be returning to Empire for the second half of the final season. Series co-creator Lee Daniels shot that down in a hurry:

@Variety @JoeOtterson This is not factual.  Jussie will NOT be returning to Empire.  -LD

— lee daniels (@leedanielsent) June 4, 2019

When I saw that tweet, especially with the word NOT in all caps, I thought "Lee Daniels is so done with Jussie Smollett." Now New York magazine has a long interview with Daniels that provides some nuance. Note that the interviewer has some trouble with double negatives in a couple of the questions, but clearly, he believes (as I do, obviously,) that Smollett made the whole thing up:

The reporting that's emerged about the Jussie Smollett case suggests that he faked a racist, homophobic mugging in order to get paid more money on Empire. You initially supported his story. Are you embarrassed?

I'm beyond embarrassed. I think that when it happened, I had a flash of me running from bullies. I had a flash of my whole life, of my childhood, my youth, getting beaten.

Knowing Jussie, would you have suspected this from him, or did this come out of the blue?

Blue. Blue.

It's got to feel like a huge betrayal.

If it turned out that he did it, was guilty, and all of it's accurate.

Wait, there's really doubt in your mind that he didn't make the whole thing up?

Of course there's some doubt. I'm telling you that because I love him so much. That's the torture that I'm in right now, because it's literally if it were to happen to your son and your child, how would you feel? You would feel, Please, God, please let there be that glimmer of hope that there is some truth in this story. That's why it's been so painful. It was a flood of pain.

Did you read the Chicago Tribune's coverage of it?

I didn't read any of it. I was too busy putting out fires.

Because to me, the Tribune's reporting didn't leave much in the way of doubt about its being anything other than a hoax. What would the scenario look like of him telling the truth?

We weren't there. I can't judge him. That's only for the fucking lady or man with that black robe and God. I had to detach myself and stop calling him, because it was taking away the time I have for my kids, the time I have for my partner. It was affecting my spirit and other shows, everything.

You are a showman and a provocateur. A friend of mine remarked that she'd never heard of Smollett and all of a sudden he was the most famous guy in America.

What do you make of that? Think about it. If he didn't do it, he'd be Martin Luther King right now. He'd be some kind of god.

You mean if he'd gotten away with it? I wondered if any part of you, as a showman, thought, Hats off to this guy for making himself a household name.

Yeah. Kudos. Yeah. (Read the full interview here.)

Although the Smollett stuff is just one part of a very long interview, that's what's getting the headlines:

People magazine: Empire Creator Lee Daniels Says He's 'Beyond Embarrassed' by the Jussie Smollett Scandal 

Vanity Fair: Lee Daniels Still Wants to Believe Jussie Smollett: "It's Been So Painful"

Entertainment Weekly: Empire creator Lee Daniels 'beyond embarrassed' by Jussie Smollett scandal

Just when you think things can't get any worse for him, I think it's safe to say that once again, Jussie is having a very bad day.

Click here to read previous posts about Jussie Smollett.

Update on Wednesday morning. A couple more headlines:

USA Today: Jussie Smollett scandal left 'Empire' co-creator Lee Daniels feeling 'beyond embarrassed'

CNN: 'Empire' creator says he had to cut off communications with Jussie Smollett after scandal