# Jussie Smollett - Say It Ain't So **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 17, 2019, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698 "2019-02-17T00:34:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/121 "2019-02-19T19:46:54Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I was going to give advice not to help your opponent, but it seems you actually think hoax hate speech is more common than the real thing. I hadn’t pegged you for part of the alt right before. Are you high? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/122 "2019-02-19T20:02:35Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > By odd coincidence, this article just came up on my FB feed. > > [Here’s A List Of Hoax ‘Hate Crimes’ In The Trump Era](https://dailycaller.com/2019/02/18/hoax-hate-crimes-list) (22 including Jussie) > > So more than two or three, but likely less than legitimate attacks. That list links back exclusively to other _Daily Caller_ articles. I’m calling bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/123 "2019-02-19T20:13:13Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Thankfully, no one innocent got arrested and worked over for a confession over this. Unlike the Chuck Stuart case in Boston in 1989 (he murdered his wife and blamed the shooting on a nonexistent black man). > **[Charles Stuart, Murderer of his Pregnant Wife Carol](http://www.celebrateboston.com/crime/charles-stuart-murderer.htm)** > > In 1989, Charles Stuart shot and killed his pregnant wife Carol and then stated to police a black man was the shooter, and it took several weeks for his plot to be revealed. Probably there were people at the time who tried to minimize Stuart’s fanning of racial hatred by arguing that assaults and killings of whites by blacks far outnumbered hoaxes. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2019, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/124 "2019-02-19T22:24:44Z")
Will Fox and the Empire producers keep him on, after this is run to conclusion that he is an idiot as well as being stupid as shit? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/125 "2019-02-20T09:54:02Z")
Interesting to think what would have happened if this wasn’t uncovered as a hoax, because looking for a pair of non-existant boogiemen can lead to all sort of bad things. One possibility is that innocent people could end up being framed for the imaginary crime, and I don’t mean by the police (although that is one possibility). I’ve seen similar things play out, once the “court of public opinion” gets going they will look for scapegoats and do all it can to destroy them. All it takes is for an anonymous nobody to point a finger at someone and conjure up some “evidence” and the witch hunt is on. I do wonder if the police would have rounded up a pair of suspects, would he had identified them as his attackers? Another possibility is that, shockingly, the police would not be able to find the imaginary perpetrators. Sooner or later you’ll have the #JusticeForJussie, BLM and whatever other opportunistic group pop up to use this cause to push their agenda on an environment of deteriorating race relations. This guy, from what I’ve seen wanted a media frenzy and that can end up with real people getting hurt over his hoax because whether he intended it or not the results of of his scheme, if it wasn’t uncovered, would be to create fear and anger and in the public and that can easily lead to violence. It certainly would contribute to further social destabilization in the US. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/126 "2019-02-20T14:21:00Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > I do wonder if the police would have rounded up a pair of suspects, would he had identified them as his attackers? He told the police he would swear out a complaint, until he realized they’d arrested the Nigerian brothers, then he [backed off](https://twitter.com/MichaelDavSmith/status/1097468270561628161/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1097468270561628161&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fsamj-3930%2F2019%2F02%2F18%2Fit-just-gets-worse-and-worse-if-true-you-wont-believe-how-far-jussie-smollett-was-willing-to-take-his-case-ok-you-might%2F). So, yes, it looks like he would have accused innocent people. (All I can find is a Twitter cite, not the original report, so weigh that accordingly.) ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/127 "2019-02-20T15:36:40Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > He told the police he would swear out a complaint, until he realized they’d arrested the Nigerian brothers, then he [backed off](https://twitter.com/MichaelDavSmith/status/1097468270561628161/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1097468270561628161&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitchy.com%2Fsamj-3930%2F2019%2F02%2F18%2Fit-just-gets-worse-and-worse-if-true-you-wont-believe-how-far-jussie-smollett-was-willing-to-take-his-case-ok-you-might%2F). So, yes, it looks like he would have accused innocent people. (All I can find is a Twitter cite, not the original report, so weigh that accordingly.) My hope is that he would have just consistently said “Nope, not those two”, but who knows. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/128 "2019-02-20T16:07:12Z")
I’m hoping that’s the case. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/129 "2019-02-20T17:46:34Z")
Nigerians trying to pull off a scam? Does that ever happen? You cannot make this shit up. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/130 "2019-02-21T01:10:32Z")
[He’s getting charged with a felony.](https://abc7chicago.com/jussie-smollet-a-suspect-in-criminal-investigation-for-filing-false-police-report-police-say/5147410/) Stick a fork in him…he’s done. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/131 "2019-02-21T03:38:07Z")
> [@Dacien](#): > > And the reason it raises my hackles is because it speaks to a very gutter-level form of political opposition: to malign your opponents as the worst kind of people. The only thing worse than these spates of hoax racist, homophobic hate crimes would be if the left were propagating hoax pedophile stories about Republicans. You mean like the hoax pedophile stories propagated by the right against Democrats (like Hillary and the “pedophile sex ring pizza shop” hoax)? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/132 "2019-02-21T14:53:01Z")
I think that was implied. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/133 "2019-02-21T15:07:23Z")
[Jussie’s mugshot](https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/02/21/jussie-smollett-surrenders-disorderly-conduct-staged-attack/) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/134 "2019-02-21T17:31:53Z")
[Smollett paid his two “attackers” with a CHECK](https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/02/21/jussie-smollett-surrenders-disorderly-conduct-staged-attack/) ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/135 "2019-02-21T17:38:33Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [Smollett paid his two “attackers” with a CHECK](https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/02/21/jussie-smollett-surrenders-disorderly-conduct-staged-attack/) All I can say is :smack::smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/136 "2019-02-21T17:46:14Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [Smollett paid his two “attackers” with a CHECK](https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/02/21/jussie-smollett-surrenders-disorderly-conduct-staged-attack/) This should be made into a comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/137 "2019-02-21T18:01:44Z")
Well, Jussie just went from Dumb to Dumber. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/138 "2019-02-21T19:17:49Z")
Worst part, this gives Trump justification to use “Fake News” and be right–not to mention Sandy Hook deniers and all the Alex Jones disciples who think any MAGA-related disasters are staged. This gives them ground in which to dig their heels. Nobody’s learned from [Janet Cooke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Cooke) or [Tawana Brawley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawana_Brawley_rape_allegations). ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/139 "2019-02-21T19:20:51Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > [He’s getting charged with a felony.](https://abc7chicago.com/jussie-smollet-a-suspect-in-criminal-investigation-for-filing-false-police-report-police-say/5147410/) > > Stick a fork in him…he’s done. The claim I’ve read is that he did this because he was dissatisfied with his salary. Can someone tell me how this whole scam was going to help him out in that area? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698/140 "2019-02-21T19:35:01Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > The claim I’ve read is that he did this because he was dissatisfied with his salary. Can someone tell me how this whole scam was going to help him out in that area? I think it was about getting more work on other projects, not for a higher pay rate on his current tv show. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jussie-smollett-say-it-aint-so/829698.md?page=8)