Empire producers weighed Jussie Smollett’s fate on the show in the aftermath of his dropped charges in a Saturday Night Live sketch that questioned the actor’s exoneration.
In the sketch, Chris Redd’s Smollett is two hours late for a meeting between Empire head Lee Daniels (played by Kenan Thompson) and the actor’s agent, played by SNL host Sandra Oh. When the actor did finally show up, he’s sporting a black eye and a Make America Great Again hat.
“Guys, you are not gonna believe what just happened to me,” Redd’s Smollett said as he burst into the meeting. “I got attacked. Again.”
The actor then presented a “bag of clues” to help producers find his “killer,” including Crest White Strips, three wooden K’s and a purple Teletubby doll. “Ooh, the gay one,” Smollett noted.
The meeting ended with both Empire producers and his agent firing Smollett, but the actor then busted back into the conference room with a neck brace and more excuses.
