“I’m Beyond Embarrassed.” Lee Daniels reveals of himself on the subject of Jussie Smollett’s assault case

In an interview with Vulture, during which Empire creator, Lee Daniels, talked about the ending of his hit TV show and the woke culture, he also addressed his feelings on the issue of Jussie Smollett’s assault case.

When asked his feelings now that it’s been suggested that Smollett faked the racist, homophobic mugging in order to get paid more money on Empire, considering his support for Smollett, Daniels said, “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.” He added that it would feel like a betrayal if “it turned out that he did it, was guilty, and all of it is accurate.”

When asked if there is some doubt on his mind that Jussie didn’t make the whole thing up, he said, “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.”

He added, “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.”