Jussie Smollett’s Comeback Hits Familiar Roadblock: The Internet Has a Long Memory
Just when it seemed Jussie Smollett was ready to put one of Hollywood’s most infamous scandals behind him, reality showed up carrying screenshots.
The former Empire actor made a return to the stage over the weekend during a Pride celebration in Harlem, marking one of his highest-profile public performances in years. While supporters applauded his return, plenty of others weren’t quite ready to hand him a fresh start.
Leading the opposition, as usual, was rapper 50 Cent.
Never one to miss an opportunity for online commentary, 50 Cent reposted video of Smollett’s performance and joked that viewers choosing Empire over his own television series Power had somehow caused this moment. The rapper’s post quickly spread across social media, where thousands piled on with jokes of their own.
Many commenters pointed out that while Hollywood has become increasingly willing to offer second chances, public forgiveness is a much tougher sell—especially when the controversy involved one of the most widely publicized celebrity scandals of the past decade.
Others questioned whether Smollett’s attempt at a comeback was simply arriving too soon… or whether it would ever arrive at all.
Smollett’s representatives responded with restraint, offering Entertainment Weekly a brief statement saying only, “We hope he had a happy Pride.”
Whether audiences are ready to welcome him back remains an open question.
One thing, however, appears beyond dispute:
The internet may forgive…
But it almost never forgets.
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