Nipsey Hussle Dead at 33 After Getting Shot in Los Angeles - TMZ

Nipsey Hussle Dead at 33 ... After Getting Shot in LA

EXCLUSIVE

5:12 PM PT -- Our law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Nipsey Hussle has died. He was 33 years old. He's survived by his two children and his girlfriend, Lauren London, with whom he just had a child in 2016. He and Lauren just did  a "Couples Quiz" for GQ, which got released a few days ago.

How well does @NipseyHussle know @LaurenLondon? We found out.

FULL VIDEO: https://t.co/NLOzwO3FIt #GQCouplesQuiz pic.twitter.com/HWeHGx93KH

— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) March 28, 2019

4:32 PM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... 3 people were shot at Nipsey's store, and one of those people just died at the hospital. It's unclear if that person is Nipsey. We're being told that one man fled in a vehicle after the shooting. Nipsey Hussle was just shot in LA ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple sources tell us the rapper was gunned down Sunday in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, south of the Crenshaw area. We're told he was at his clothing company called the Marathon Store. He opened the place back in 2017.

His condition is unknown at this point, but eyewitnesses say they heard multiple shots fired. Police and paramedics have swarmed the area and taped off the crime scene.

Nipsey appears to have been receiving CPR on the scene as well. You can see an EMT working on him and doing chest compressions.

Even crazier ... Nipsey appears to have tweeted right before the shooting, and alluded to "enemies." He wrote, "Having strong enemies is a blessing."

Having strong enemies is a blessing.

— THA GREAT (@NipseyHussle) March 31, 2019

Nipsey -- who's from the Crenshaw area of LA -- is said to have ties to the Crips. That hasn't stopped him from working with artists who have rival gang affiliations ... he's made music with both YG and The Game -- both of whom have been tied to Bloods.

Nipsey has also worked with other huge names in the industry, like Drake, Childish Gambino, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, Young Thug, Snoop Dogg, Ne-Yo, Kirko Bangz, Dom Kennedy, Tyga, Jadakiss, Chamillionaire and many, many others.

He's released multiple mixtapes over the course of his 10-plus year career but just dropped his first studio album last year. It's called "Victory Lap" ... which got him a Grammy nod for Best Rap Album just a month ago. Nipsey lost out to Cardi B at the award show.

Nipsey's mixtapes date back to to 2005. He dropped 10 projects independently before releasing his debut album, which was distributed through his own record label, All Money In, and Atlantic Records. 

Despite being a polished rapper, Nipsey was no stranger to the streets. He got roped into a brawl out in West Hollywood back in December of 2018 ... which turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

This isn't the first time trouble has descended onto Nipsey's store either. Gunfire erupted there back in September of 2018, but no one was shot then. Nipsey was not at the store that time.

Originally Published -- 4:08 PM PT

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2019-04-01 00:17:00Z
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Chris Rock makes Jussie Smollett joke at NAACP Image Awards, ignoring restriction on Jussie Smollett jokes - NJ.com

Apparently, telling Chris Rock that he can’t make a Jussie Smollett joke only sets you up for a Jussie Smollett joke.

Rock, 54, who has a home in Alpine, appeared at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, where producers were, according to Rock, not keen on anyone making a joke about Smollett.

Recently, all charges were dropped against Smollett, an “Empire” actor, after he claimed that two masked men attacked him in Chicago on Jan. 29 and tied a rope around his neck, pouring bleach on him. He said the men had hurled racist and homophobic slurs during the attack. A month later, Smollett, 36, was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct as police accused him of staging the attack. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office dropped all charges against Smollett on Tuesday.

Rock took to the stage at the 50th NAACP Image Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to present an award.

“They said no Jussie Smollett jokes,” Rock said, to hearty laughter from the audience. “Yeah, I know, I know,” he continued. “What a waste of light skin, you know? You know what I could do with that light skin? That curly hair? My career would be outta here! (I’d) be (expletive) running Hollywood!"

After stopping to laugh for a few beats, Rock continued.

“What the hell was he thinking? From now on, you’re Jessie. From now on. You don’t even get the U no more.” The camera cut to “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah doubling over with laughter in the audience. “That U was respect," Rock said. "You ain’t getting no respect from me.”

In comedy special, Chris Rock talks divorce, cheating and porn addiction

Rock bought a house around the corner when he and his ex-wife, Malaak Compton, who lived in Alpine together with their daughters, decided to divorce in 2014.

Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon on Fox’s “Empire,” was absent from the NAACP Image Awards despite being nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series (he did not win).

Others in attendance at the Image Awards, including “Chicago” showrunner Lena Waithe, 34, and actress Yara Shahidi (“Black-ish," “Grown-ish), said they stood with Smollett, supporting the actor. Shahidi, 19, made the comment onstage while standing alongside her castmates to accept an award for outstanding comedy series for “Black-ish.”

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the dropping of charges against Smollett “a whitewash of justice." Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the city “is still owed an apology.”

Smollett had said that the men who attacked him shouted “this is MAGA country” and that he saw one of them was white. Police later said the actor had paid $3,500 to hire two black men — brothers Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo — to conduct a staged attack.

This week, “Saturday Night Live” dedicated a sketch to the Smollett controversy (see clip below), in which Chris Redd plays Smollett, who again claims to have been attacked. Redd, who is late to a network meeting for “Empire,” takes several “clues" out of a bag, including three letter Ks to signify the Ku Klux Klan. In the sketch, Smollett’s exasperated manager, played by Sandra Oh, cuts ties with him and series creator Lee Daniels tells the actor he has to fire him.

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2019-03-31 22:23:00Z
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Live-action 'Dumbo' struggles to soar at box office - Honolulu Star-Advertiser

• 

  COURTESY DISNEY

  Danny DeVito in a scene from “Dumbo.”

ADVERTISING

LOS ANGELES >> Disney’s “Dumbo” isn’t exactly taking flight at the North American box office the way its other live-action remakes of animated classics have.

The Walt Disney Co. said today that the Tim Burton-directed film has earned an estimated $45 million domestically from 4,259 locations against a $170 million production budget. It’s less than half of what “Beauty and the Beast,” ”The Jungle Book” and Burton’s own “Alice in Wonderland” opened to.

The remake of the 1941 animated film stars Colin Farrell and Danny DeVito. It got mixed to negative reviews from critics and currently has a middling 53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Audiences who did turn out, however, had a different response than the critics and gave the film an A- overall, according to CinemaScore.

“We think it’s a solid start,” said Cathleen Taff, Disney’s president of theatrical distribution. “We’re encouraged and hopeful with audience word of mouth.”

Internationally, “Dumbo” grossed $71 million, with $10.7 million coming from China, $7.4 million from the U.K. and $7.2 million from Mexico.

Disney has two other high-profile live-action remakes coming out this year in “Aladdin” (May 24) and “The Lion King” (July 19).

“I don’t think this is a mandate against live-action remakes. But sometimes when you don’t have the reviews, it can affect it,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst. “For Disney, the bar is set so high. This is just a little speed bump on what is already a spectacular year for Disney.”

“Dumbo” did bump Jordan Peele’s “Us” to second place. “Us” added $33.6 million, down only 53%, bringing its domestic total to $128.2 million in its second week. The Lupita Nyong’o doppelganger movie cost only $20 million to produce.

“For a horror, which generally have the scariest drops in the business, ‘Us’ is really holding in there,” Dergarabedian said. “It’s good news for Jordan Peele.”

Easing the “Dumbo” disappointment, Disney and Marvel’s “Captain Marvel” landed in third place in weekend four with an additional $20.5 million. It’s now earned over $350 million in North America and is expected to cross the $1 billion mark globally sometime this week.

The teen drama/romance “Five Feet Apart” with Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson took fourth place with $6.3 million, down only 27% in its third week.

And the pregnancy movie “Unplanned” rounded out the top five with $6.1 million from only 1,059 theaters. It’s another success for Pure Flix, which targets the faith-based audience.

“Serving that underserved audience can pay off quite well,” Dergarabedian said.

Not so lucky was “The Beach Bum,” a stoner-odyssey from the provocative filmmaker Harmony Korine starring Matthew McConaughey. It grossed only $1.8 million from 1,100 locations in its first weekend.

The weekend overall is down around 2% and the year is still lagging about 16.4%.

“Next week is going to have two of the biggest genres hitting the multiplex simultaneously,” noted Dergarabedian. The well-reviewed superhero pic “Shazam!” debuts along with a “Pet Sematary” remake.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through today at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through today are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1.”Dumbo,” $45 million ($71 million international).

2.”Us,” $33.6 million ($22.6 million international).

3.”Captain Marvel,” $20.5 million ($26.4 million international).

4.”Five Feet Apart,” $6.3 million ($6.2 million international).

5.”Unplanned,” $6.1 million.

6.”Wonder Park,” $4.9 million ($2.5 million international).

7.”How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” $4.2 million ($2.6 million international).

8.”Hotel Mumbai,” $3.2 million ($640,227 international).

9.Tyler Perry’s “A Madea Family Funeral,” $2.7 million ($35,000 international).

10.”The Beach Bum,” $1.8 million ($427,000 international).

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through today at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Comscore:

1. “Dumbo,” $71 million.

2. “Captain Marvel,” $26.4 million.

3. “Us,” $22.6 million.

4. “Song of Youth,” $11.7 million.

5. “The Human Comedy,” $9.3 million.

6. “Mirage,” $8.9 million.

7. “More Than Blue,” $6.6 million.

8. “Five Feet Apart,” 6.2 million.

9. “Money,” $5.4 million.

10. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” $3.5 million.

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2019-03-31 19:19:00Z
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Chris Rock makes Jussie Smollett joke at NAACP Image Awards, ignoring restriction on Jussie Smollett jokes - NJ.com

Apparently, telling Chris Rock that he can’t make a Jussie Smollett joke only sets you up for a Jussie Smollett joke.

Rock, 54, who has a home in Alpine, appeared at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, where producers were, according to Rock, not keen on anyone making a joke about Smollett.

Recently, all charges were dropped against Smollett, an “Empire” actor, after he claimed that two masked men attacked him in Chicago on Jan. 29 and tied a rope around his neck, pouring bleach on him. He said the men had hurled racist and homophobic slurs during the attack. A month later, Smollett, 36, was charged with 16 counts of disorderly conduct as police accused him of staging the attack. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office dropped all charges against Smollett on Tuesday.

Rock took to the stage at the 50th NAACP Image Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to present an award.

“They said no Jussie Smollett jokes,” Rock said, to hearty laughter from the audience. “Yeah, I know, I know,” he continued. “What a waste of light skin, you know? You know what I could do with that light skin? That curly hair? My career would be outta here! (I’d) be (expletive) running Hollywood!"

After stopping to laugh for a few beats, Rock continued.

“What the hell was he thinking? From now on, you’re Jesse. From now on. You don’t even get the U no more.” The camera cut to “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah doubling over with laughter in the audience. “That U was respect," Rock said. "You ain’t getting no respect from me.”

In comedy special, Chris Rock talks divorce, cheating and porn addiction

Rock bought a house around the corner when he and his ex-wife, Malaak Compton, who lived in Alpine together with their daughters, decided to divorce in 2014.

Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon on Fox’s “Empire,” was absent from the NAACP Image Awards despite being nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series (he did not win).

Others in attendance at the Image Awards, including “Chicago” showrunner Lena Waithe, 34, and actress Yara Shahidi (“Black-ish," “Grown-ish), said they stood with Smollett, supporting the actor. Shahidi, 19, made the comment onstage while standing alongside her castmates to accept an award for outstanding comedy series for “Black-ish.”

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the dropping of charges against Smollett “a whitewash of justice." Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said the city “is still owed an apology.”

Smollett had said that the men who attacked him shouted “this is MAGA country” and that he saw one of them was white. Police later said the actor had paid $3,500 to hire two black men — brothers Abimbola “Abel” Osundairo and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo — to conduct a staged attack.

This week, “Saturday Night Live” dedicated a sketch to the Smollett controversy (see clip below), in which Chris Redd plays Smollett, who again claims to have been attacked. Redd, who is late to a network meeting for “Empire,” takes several “clues" out of a bag, including three letter Ks to signify the Ku Klux Klan. In the sketch, Smollett’s exasperated manager, played by Sandra Oh, cuts ties with him and series creator Lee Daniels tells the actor he has to fire him.

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2019-03-31 19:01:00Z
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Basketball Fans Were Reportedly Taunting Tristan Thompson by Yelling "Khloé!" During His Game Last Night - Cosmopolitan.com

• Tristan Thompson's NBA team played in Los Angeles last night, and he was booed the entire time.
• Basketball fans were reportedly also chanting "Khloé!" to try and throw Tristan off his game.

---

While Kylie Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Jordyn Woods, and even Kris Jenner have been speaking out about the aftermath of the Tristan Thompson/Jordyn cheating scandal, you know who doesn't seem too preoccupied with the situation? None other than one Tristan Thompson.

A couple of weeks after the scandal broke, Tristan was seen on a date with another girl (can you believe?!), and other than wearing a pair of shoes with True's name on them, Tristan seems to be pretty over the Kardashians/the whole scandal. But you know who isn't over all of Tristan's cheating? Basically everyone else.

Last night, Tristan's NBA team the Cleveland Cavaliers were playing against the Los Angeles Clippers in LA, and the Los Angeles fans made it *very* clear that they didn't care much for Tristan. Fans were booing throughout the game, and TMZ reports that some took it upon themselves to yell “Khloé! Khloé! Khloé!” while he was trying to focus on his free throws. (He missed both, btw.)

Apparently the booing lasted the "entire" game, which couldn't have been fun for Tristan. And while obviously it's not the nicest thing to boo somebody, I can't say that I'm surprised—are you?

Alanna Lauren Greco Alanna Greco is the weekend editor at Cosmopolitan.com and a freelance writer based in New York.

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2019-03-31 18:41:00Z
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Disney's live action 'Dumbo' struggles to soar at box office - Fox News

Disney's "Dumbo" isn't exactly taking flight at the North American box office the way its other live-action remakes of animated classics have.

The Walt Disney Co. said Sunday that the Tim Burton-directed film has earned an estimated $45 million domestically from 4,259 locations against a $170 million production budget. It's less than half of what "Beauty and the Beast," ''The Jungle Book" and Burton's own "Alice in Wonderland" opened to.

The remake of the 1941 animated film stars Colin Farrell and Danny DeVito. It got mixed to negative reviews from critics and currently has a middling 53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

'DUMBO' STAR COLIN FARRELL SAYS HE WAS 'MISSING OUT' ON CHILDREN'S MOVIES BY ACTING IN SERIOUS DRAMAS

Audiences who did turn out, however, had a different response than the critics and gave the film an A- overall, according to CinemaScore.

"We think it's a solid start," said Cathleen Taff, Disney's executive vice president of theatrical distribution. "We're encouraged and hopeful with audience word of mouth."

Internationally, "Dumbo" grossed $71 million, with $10.7 million coming from China, $7.4 million from the U.K. and $7.2 million from Mexico.

Disney has two other high-profile live-action remakes coming out this year in "Aladdin" (May 24) and "The Lion King" (July 19).

ANGELINA JOLIE, FOUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN ATTEND 'DUMBO' PREMIERE

"I don't think this is a mandate against live-action remakes. But sometimes when you don't have the reviews, it can affect it," said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore's senior media analyst. "For Disney, the bar is set so high. This is just a little speed bump on what is already a spectacular year for Disney."

"Dumbo" did bump Jordan Peele's "Us" to second place. "Us" added $33.6 million, down only 53%, bringing its domestic total to $128.2 million in its second week. The Lupita Nyong'o doppelganger movie cost only $20 million to produce.

"For a horror, which generally have the scariest drops in the business, 'Us' is really holding in there," Dergarabedian said. "It's good news for Jordan Peele."

DANNY DEVITO TAKES A TUMBLE ONSTAGE PROMOTING 'DUMBO'

Easing the "Dumbo" disappointment, Disney and Marvel's "Captain Marvel" landed in third place in weekend four with an additional $20.5 million. It's now earned over $350 million in North America and is expected to cross the $1 billion mark globally sometime this week.

The teen drama/romance "Five Feet Apart" with Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson took fourth place with $6.3 million, down only 27% in its third week.

And the pregnancy movie "Unplanned" rounded out the top five with $6.1 million from only 1,059 theaters. It's another success for Pure Flix, which targets the faith-based audience.

"Serving that underserved audience can pay off quite well," Dergarabedian said.

Not so lucky was "The Beach Bum," a stoner-odyssey from the provocative filmmaker Harmony Korine starring Matthew McConaughey. It grossed only $1.8 million from 1,100 locations in its first weekend.

JORDAN PEELE'S 'US' SCARES AWAY BOX OFFICE COMPETITION

The weekend overall is down around 2 percent and the year is still lagging about 16.4 percent.

"Next week is going to have two of the biggest genres hitting the multiplex simultaneously," noted Dergarabedian. The well-reviewed superhero pic "Shazam!" debuts along with a "Pet Sematary" remake.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1."Dumbo," $45 million.

2."Us," $33.6 million.

3."Captain Marvel," $20.5 million.

4."Five Feet Apart," $6.3 million.

5."Unplanned," $6.1 million.

6."Wonder Park," $4.9 million.

7."How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," $4.2 million.

8."Hotel Mumbai," $3.2 million.

9.Tyler Perry's "A Madea Family Funeral," $2.7 million.

10."The Beach Bum," $1.8 million.

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2019-03-31 17:31:49Z
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'Dumbo' underwhelms but 'Us' crosses $100 million at the box office - CNN

Disney's live-action remake of its 1941 animated classic brought in an estimated $45 million in its North America box office debut. While $45 million is not a disastrous opening for the film, it is a disappointing one because Disney and box office experts both expected "Dumbo" would make $50 million.

The film, which stars Colin Farrell and Michael Keaton, took the top spot at the box office this weekend, and has made $116 million worldwide.

In second place was Jordan Peele's "Us." The Universal horror hit earned an estimated $33.6 million in its second weekend of release.

Peele's follow up to "Get Out" has now made $174.5 million globally.

The second weekend total for "Us" marked a 53% drop from its opening weekend haul. But "Us," which cost $20 million to make, surprised Hollywood with a $71 million opening last weekend.

The second weekend drop for "Us" put it roughly in line with other horror hits, such as 2017's "It" and 2018's "Halloween," which dropped by 51% and 59% respectively in their second weeks, according to Comscore (SCOR).

"Dumbo" was the latest Disney animated classic to get a reboot. Others like "Beauty and the Beast" in 2017 and "Alice in Wonderland" in 2010 were box office hits for the company, and made more than $1 billion.

The sluggish performance of "Dumbo" might be because of a lukewarm critical reception. The film holds a 50% score on review site Rotten Tomatoes.

Even though "Dumbo" disappointed, Disney's live action remakes should rebound at the box office soon.

The studio will release two more remakes of its animated classics this summer with "Aladdin" starring Will Smith and "The Lion King," which includes voice work by Donald Glover and Beyoncé.

"The Lion King" is one of the most anticipated films of 2019 and could end up being one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.

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https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/31/media/dumbo-box-office/index.html

2019-03-31 16:26:00Z
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Chris Rock rips Jussie Smollett at NAACP Image Awards: ‘What a waste of light skin’ - New York Daily News

Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in most European countries. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to the EU market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism.

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2019-03-31 16:33:00Z
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Chris Rock: 'No respect' for Jussie Smollett - Washington Examiner

Actor and comedian Chris Rock said he has no respect for actor Jussie Smollett at the 50th annual NAACP Image Awards Saturday night.

Rock, who was presenting the award for outstanding comedy series to ABC’s “Black-ish,” said he was told not to joke about Smollett but went ahead and ripped the actor anyway. He tore into Smollett, who was accused of faking a hate crime for his own gain, over the “Empire” star’s light black skin.

“They said no Jussie Smollett jokes,” Rock said. “Yeah, I know, but what a waste of light skin. Do you know what I could do with that light skin? That curly hair, my career would be out of here. I would be running Hollywood. What the hell was he thinking?

“You are known as 'Jessie' for now on. You don't even get the 'u' anymore. That 'u' was for respect. You ain't getting no respect from me.” Rock said to laughter.

Prosecutors in Chicago dropped all charges against Smollett Tuesday. Police and other officials claim that Smollett, who is black and gay, paid two brothers $3,500 to pour bleach on him, fasten a noose around his neck, and yell racist and homophobic slurs. Smollett is also alleged to have sent threatening letters to himself before the incident.

Officials with the city said Thursday that it planned to bill Smollett $130,000 for the cost of investigating the incident.

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2019-03-31 15:03:00Z
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'Saturday Night Live' spoofs Jussie Smollett case in a controversial sketch - AOL

Saturday Night Live made a point of being an equal opportunity offender in its first episode back after a two-week break. As usual the cold open addressed the latest Donald Trump news–specifically the long-anticipated release of Robert Mueller’s report–and featured the return of Robert De Niro for the fifth, and likely final, time as Mueller. But the night’s first live sketch was a surprisingly savage take on Empire star Jussie Smollett, who was back in the news this week after Chicago prosecutors stunned the city and the entire nation by dropping all charges against him for allegedly staging his own attack.

RELATED: Jussie Smollett on FOX's Empire

16 PHOTOS

Jussie Smollett on FOX's Empire

See Gallery

EMPIRE: L-R: Taraji P. Henson and Jussie Smollett in the 'Treasons, Stratagems, and Spoils' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Nov. 14 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Taraji P. Henson and director Jussie Smollett in the 'What is Done' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Nov. 7 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: Director Jussie Smollett behind the scenes in the 'What is Done' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Nov. 7 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Terrence Howard and director Jussie Smollett behind the scenes in the 'What is Done' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Nov. 7 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Jussie Smollett and Taraji P. Henson in the 'The Depth of Grief' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 31 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: Jussie Smollett in the 'The Depth of Grief' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 31 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Bryshere Y. Gray and Jussie Smollett in the 'Love All, Trust a Few' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Jussie Smollett and Bryshere Y. Gray in the 'Pride' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 10 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Jussie Smollett and Bryshere Y. Gray in the 'Pride' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 10 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: Jussie Smollett in the 'Pay For Their Presumptions' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 3 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Jussie Smollett, Bryshere Gray, and Trai Byers in the 'The Empire Unposessd' season finale episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, May 23 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: L-R: Terrence Howard as Lucious Lyon, Taraji P. Henson as Cookie Lyon, Bryshere Y. Gray as Hakeem Lyon, Jussie Smollett as Jamal Lyon and Trai Byers as Andre Lyon in Season Five of EMPIRE premiering Wednesday, Sept. 26 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: Pictured L-R: Bryshere Gray, Jussie Smollett and Andre Royo in the 'Slave to Memory' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Dec. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: Pictured L-R: Trai Byers, Gabourey Sidibe and Jussie Smollett in the 'Bleeding War' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 18 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: Pictured L-R: Terrel Carter and Jussie Smollett in the 'Evil Manners' episode of EMPIRE airing Wednesday, Oct. 11 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

EMPIRE: Pictured L-R: Jussie Smollett and Gabourey Sidibe in the 'Full Circle' episode of Wednesday, Oct. 4 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX via Getty Images)

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Entitled “Network Meeting,” the sketch opens in a boardroom where a trio of executives played by Mikey Day, Kate McKinnon and Ego Nwodim are seated alongside Kenan Thompson as Empire co-creator, Lee Daniels, and the night’s host, Sandra Oh, as Smollett’s manager. “Just give Jussie another chance,” Oh begs, trying to make them overlook the fact that her embattled client is two hours late to the meeting. “I just hope it’s not some crazy excuse,” Daniels remarks, with a sigh.

At that moment, Smollett (played by Chris Redd) bursts into the room, holding a plastic bag and wearing Trump’s signature “Make America Great Again” hat. (Earlier in the week, Trump weighed in the prosecutors’ decision to drop disorderly conduct charges agains the actor, calling it, “an embarrassment to our nation.”) “Guys, you are not gonna believe what just happened to me,” he says, to groans of “Not again” in the room. “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not that,” he says, before confirming their initial suspicions that he’s about to make another claim to having been attacked. “What is wrong with you, man,” Day’s executive remarks. “He means mentally,” Nwodim adds, sharply.

Unable to persuade them with his words, Smollett reaches into his plastic bag to reveal the evidence, and what it indicates about the identity of his attackers. “I think it’s a bag of clues,” he claims, pulling out a box of Crest Whitestrips, three oversized red K’s to spell out KKK and the purple member of the Teletubbies. “It’s the gay one,” he makes sure to point out. McKinnon’s executive then suggests calling the police, but that’s a no-go. “They said I could never call again as part of the deal,” Smollett says–a reference to the assumption in some quarters that behind-the-scenes dealings led to his charges being dropped.

In real life, Smollett’s character, Jamal Lyon, has been removed from the final episodes of Empire‘s current season. As of now, no decision has been announced about whether he’ll be returning to the show next year, and the actor continues to maintain that he’s been truthful and honest as the case has played out in the courts and in the media. But in the world of SNL, Smollett is already packing his bags. “You know we gotta fire you, right?” Thompson-as-Daniels says. He loses his agent as well, with Oh cutting him from her client roster. “I just hope he gets the help he needs,” she says. Apparently not. The skit ends with Smollett re-entering the room, this time wearing a neck brace and dark sunglasses, and making claims about another attack.

No doubt reflecting the country’s own confusion over the twists and turns in this case, the SNL audience wasn’t entirely certain how to respond to “Network Meeting.” Most of the one-liners were met with nervous chuckles rather than big laughs, especially the jokes that explicitly commented on Smollett’s state of mind. The sketch didn’t go over particularly well on social media either.

Interestingly, on the same night that SNL mocked Smollett, former Not Ready for Primetime Player, Chris Rock, also roasted the actor while presenting an award at the NAACP Image Awards. (Smollett was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, a statue that went to Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams instead.) “What the hell was he thinking?” Rock reportedly said. “From now on, you’re Jessie from now on. You don’t even get the ‘U’ no more. That ‘U’ was respect. You don’t get no respect from me.” Apparently, the same goes for Saturday Night Live.

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https://www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2019/03/31/saturday-night-live-spoofs-smollett-case-in-brutal-sketch/23703309/

2019-03-31 12:03:32Z
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Chris Rock rips Jussie Smollett at the NAACP Image Awards: "What the hell was he thinking?" - CBS News

Smollett billed by Chicago police

Actor-comedian Chris Rock took verbal jabs at actor Jussie Smollett before he presented the award for outstanding comedy series to ABC's "black-ish" at the 50th annual NAACP Image Awards Saturday night. Smollett, who had all criminal charges against him dropped last week for allegedly staging a hate crime, did not attend the awards.

"They said no Jussie Smollett jokes," Rock said. "Yeah, I know, but what a waste of light skin. Do you know what I could do with that light skin? That curly hair, my career would be out of here. I would be running Hollywood. What the hell was he thinking? You are known as 'Jessie' for now on. You don't even get the 'u' anymore. That 'u' was for respect. You ain't getting no respect from me."

Chris Rock onstage at the 50th NAACP Image Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 30, 2019 in Hollywood, California. Kevin Winter / Getty Images

In response to Rock's jokes, "black-ish" star Yara Shahidi made her stance in the Smollett controversy obvious.

"I stand with Jussie," Shahidi said before she handed the microphone to Marcus Scribner and ducked into her crowd of castmates including Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross.

Jussie Smollett lost to "Grey's Anatomy" star Jessie Williams in the supporting actor in a drama series category.

A lawyer for the city of Chicago said Thursday the city is seeking $130,00 from  Smollett as restitution for the cost of the investigation he initiated. Smollett has maintained his innocence and told reporters Tuesday after his charges had been dropped that he's been "truthful and consistent on every single level since day one."

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https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chris-rock-rips-jussie-smollett-naacp-image-awards/

2019-03-31 11:12:00Z
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