Emmy-Award-winning comedian Loni Love said disgraced “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett reached out to her and other celebrities, asking them to go public on his behalf.
Love said during a recent episode of her show, “The Real,” that she talked to the actor for “over an hour-and-a-half” when Smollett asked her to divulge a message to the public, according to a BET article Tuesday. (RELATED: Third Osundairo Brother Speaks Out On Smollett Case)
“He said that he was reaching out [to] people that showed love and support,” Love said. “He said that I can ask any question I wanted. I was there not to judge him. I just wanted to listen to what he had to say.”
Love originally tweeted over the weekend about the phone call and promised to “let the public know” that Smollett will break his silence soon. (RELATED: Report Says Smollett Auditioned For Play With Plot Nearly Identical To Alleged ‘Attack’)
So Jussie called me.. we had a long talk and he wanted to thank those that have supported him.. he is with his family and wanted me to let the public know that he will answer all questions soon… #vessel
— Loni Love (@LoniLove) April 14, 2019
“He said that he wanted to find out how the public felt,” she said. “So, that’s why I put out the tweet. Not putting out the tweet as a scoop and all this. … This is something he asked me to do.”
Smollett is alleged to have staged a racist and homophobic hate crime against himself along with two other men he allegedly paid to beat him up outside a Chicago Subway restaurant and yell, “This is MAGA country!”
Charges against Smollett were dropped by the city of Chicago earlier this month due to Smollet’s minimal community service record in a decision that prompted outrage throughout the country.
Reports surfaced on Tuesday that Smollett was being dropped from consideration for a role as the lead actor in the Tony-award winning Broadway show “Take Me Out.”