Empire Creator and Star Receive Death Threats

From my years of writing this blog one thing I have learned is that it is ALWAYS the godly Christian crowd that write the foulest comments - hence why I moderate comments and delete those that do not deserve to be given a platform - and make death threats.  Most are just nasty hot air, although once my former law office was singled out for vandalization most likely by one of these "godly Christian" types.  These ignorance embracing individuals are simply outraged by anything that might challenge the myths and fairy tales that they, in their mentally imbalanced state, cling to so desperately.  Thus, it is no surprise to me that Empire creator Lee Daniels and Jussie Smollett (pictured above), who plays a gay character on the show, have been receiving death threats. Bet.com looks at the situation.  Here are excerpts:

Empire has millions of fans, but there are a few that show creator Lee Daniels can live without.

The filmmaker recently revealed that he and Jussie Smollett, who plays Terrence Howard's gay son Jamal Lyon, have received hate mail and even death threats from some who take issue with the show's gay plot lines.

“Homophobia is real. It exists… Jussie and I both get death threats. But we will continue to do our thing,” Daniels said. He added that, while a tiny minority insist on spewing hate towards the show, which has seen the kind of success few network primetime shows experience these days, he is proud of the film's diverse cast and willingness to take on real issues.

“I have to relate to these people honestly,” he said. “That trash can scene? It happened,” Daniels added, referring to a flashback scene in which a young Jamal is put into a trash can by his father — something which Daniels has said actually happened to him when his father discovered he was gay.

Empire returns to continue it pushing envelopes on September 23.

I have no use for religious fundamentalist be they Christian or Muslim.  Hate and the deliberate embrace of ignorance have no place in the modern world.  These people need to become utter social and political outcasts with whom decent people do not give any deference or respect.

Jussie Smollett Discusses Why He Needed to "Come Out"

In this area, other than the lunatics over at Pat Robertson's CBN outfit, no one is more homophobic than the black pastor crowd who allow themselves to be regularly manipulated by the Christofascists and white supremacists at The Family Foundation, Virginia's leading hate group.  Thus, it is timely that someone like Empire star, Jussie Smollett come out and help dispel some of the batshitery peddled by the "godly folk," including the black pastors fanning homophobia - and increasing the number of men "on the down low" - as they shake down their parishioners for money.  Smollett discusses his reason for coming out in a piece in Variety.  Here are highlights:

Earlier this week, “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett confirmed that he’s gay in a backstage interview with Ellen DeGeneres, saying, “There’s never been a closet that I’ve been in.” Smollett told Variety that the reaction since that moment has been great.

“It was a bigger deal to everyone than it was for me,” he said. “But at the same time I do understand why it is something to talk about.”

Smollett said he hopes to use the platform as a way to make other people feel less alone, and re-emphasized that his personal life is off-limits.

“I didn’t talk to Ellen so that people could, be like ‘oh my God, let’s see what Jussie does in his bedroom in his private life.’ But I did talk to her so that people understood that they’re not alone. That’s all.”

Smollett’s character on “Empire,” Jamal Lyon, who is also gay, explores the issues associated with being homosexual, including his tense relationship with his father. Smollett says getting to play his character is one of the most beautiful experiences of his life.

“You don’t always get these experiences as an artist of [playing] roles where you feel the impact of what you’re doing, but I do. And that as an artist, as an activist, as a man, it’s feeding my soul.”

Being "out" and living your life is the best way to end homophobia.  Other than the die hard haters and religious fanatics, once people have a face and name and someone they know to dispel the hate-filled stereotypes our enemies disseminate, it becomes more difficult to hang onto prejudices. 

"Empire" Creator Wants To "Blow The Lid Off" of Black Homophobia

The Hampton Roads region has a sizable black community and that community is among the most homophobic.  Fanning that homophobia are black pastors who act like trained circus dogs for the racists at The Family Foundation, Virginia's largest hate group, who are the successors to the white supremacists and advocates of Massive Resistance of the past.  The result is that black males "on the down low" are plentiful and HIV/AIDS has been transmitted to the larger black community, especially among women who are married to or in relationships with these men on the down low, of DL as they call it.  The situation is at a crisis level.  Even many black men who are "out" to their friends are closeted to their families and some who have come out find rejection because of the religious based poison that is so prevalent.  As The Wrap reports, "Empire" creator, Lee Daniels, wants to blow the lid off of the homophobia and hypocrisy that is so widespread in the black community.  I wish him luck.  Here are article excerpts:

Lee Daniels didn’t mince words during the panel for the freshman Fox drama “Empire” during the Television Critics Association press tour on Saturday, offering his frank thoughts on homophobia in the African American community, which he said is “killing African American women.”

Asked about the unapologetic homophobia displayed by central character Lucious Lyon (portrayed by Terrence Howard), “Empire” co-creator Daniels let loose, explaining that the seeds of Lucious’ homophobia were planted when Daniels was researching his 2009 film “Precious.”

“When I did ‘Precious’ I had to do research on AIDS in the ’80s so I went to the Gay Men’s Health Crisis Center in New York City, and I expected to see gay men, and there were nothing but African American women and babies with HIV. And that blew me away,” Daniels recalled.

Daniels laid the blame squarely on what he referred to as the “rampant” homophobia in the black community — specifically, the phenomenon of men secretly engaging in gay sex because of the stigma.

“Homophobia is rampant in the African American community, and men are on the DL. They don’t come out, because your priest says, your pastor says, mama says, your next-door neighbor says, your homie says, your brother says, your boss says [that homosexuality is wrong],” Daniels said. “And they are killing African American women. They are killing our women. So I wanted to blow the lid off more on homophobia in my community.”

It is far past time that someone calls out those who are keeping homophobia and ignorance alive in the black community.  Kudos to Daniels.