 |
| Jussie Smollett (image via screen capture) |
Almost a week after Empire star Jussie Smollett was assaulted in Chicago by two men who used homophobic, racist slurs during the attack, the actor & singer showed up for his already scheduled concert at The Troubadour in Los Angeles last night.
As he took to the stage, his first public appearance since the attack, he told the crowd, “I had to be here tonight, y’all. I can’t let the motherf—ers win," according to Variety.
“I have so many words on my heart,” Smollett told the sold-out crowd. “The most important thing I have to say is thank you so much and that I’m okay. I’m not fully healed yet, but I’m going to. And I’m gonna stand strong with y’all… l will always stand for love. I will never stand for anything other than that. Regardless of what anyone else says, I will only stand for love. And I hope that you all will stand with me. So now… let’s do it.”
Variety notes that the concert was sold-out before the attack in Chicago.
With a setlist that included songs like, "Freedom," Conqueror," and "Hurt People," Smollett reportedly fought back tears as the evening took on a message of defiance and strength.
Near the end of the concert, the singer called out to two artists in attendance - out actor Wilson Cruz (Star Trek: Discovery) and Empire creator Lee Daniels: “I promised myself I was not gonna cry tonight. Someone in the crowd that I want to recognize: Wilson Cruz is someone I identified with growing up. I stand on the backs of so many people — of the Lee Daniels and the Wilson Cruz's — and I pray to God I make you all proud.”
Before his final encore, he said there were a few points of fact that he wanted to clear up regarding reports of the attack.
“I was bruised but my ribs were not cracked; they were not broken," he began. "I went to the doctor immediately - I was not hospitalized. Both my doctors in L.A. and Chicago cleared me to perform, but said to take care, obviously. And above all: I fought the f— back.”
And the crowd goes wild!
Since the racially motivated attack, @JussieSmollett hit the stage for his #SeanHealyPresentsJussieSmollett in LA with an emotional message. pic.twitter.com/MVBnKdq1pZ— Karen Civil (@KarenCivil) February 3, 2019
After the roar subsided, he finished the moment by joking, “I’m the gay Tupac! So now, we can do our encore.”
As he exited the stage, Smollett announced, “We are proud. We are gay.”
Wilson Cruz acknowledged Smollett on his Instagram.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.