Lee Daniels is still standing in support of Jussie Smollett and believes his recent public call out by Dame Dash over borrowed money was just what he needed.
During a recent Breakfast Club interview, Daniels was asked about Smollett and where they stand today. When the Chicago attack story first became public, Daniels was among the first to voice his concern and support for Smollet and says he stills supports him but the event had definitely taken its toll on the show and the other starts.
It’s real, it’s traumatic, it’s traumatized the show, it’s traumatized the actors. It is, uh, very painful to talk about…even now. And I think that we’re still living it and we’re still trying to figure it out. And regardless, you know what? I’m still standing by him regardless of the outcome because I can’t just discard someone. That’s like discarding my son.”
Leaving no topic untouched, Daniels goes on to talk about Dame Dash pulling up on him at Essence Fest to collect a $2M loan and his public fall out with Academy Award Winner Monique.
“We squashed our beef. You know one thing? He’s a good man. And I think that I was out of pocket. ‘Cause sometimes you really get caught up in that white voice that’s in your head, that are saying, ‘no, you signed a document Lee Daniels, you signed a f**king document. You do not owe him any money.’ My lawyers and my agents was telling me that, ‘you don’t owe him any money.’ But, you know one thing? Let me tell you something. If I didn’t pay them matza ball n**gas back, I wouldn’t have been able to make…you know what I mean? Real talk. It was a wake-up call. And sadly it took the public humiliation of having that sort of shock me to…yeah. But, I believe in karma and I deserved it and I wish him the best because he really believed in me when nobody else did, and Hollywood was not f**kin’ wit me.”
With regards to Monique and if they can squash the beef.
“No, next question. That situation is what it’s going to be. I think we have to chose to disagree. And I think that, again, I have nothing but compassion for her. She got a job, she got a job, she got a commercial with Childish Gambino, so now she’s not blackballed. I’m excited for her. She’s really good in it.”
To watch the full Lee Daniels interview, plus past video of Dame Dash pulling up on Lee Daniels, flip the pages.
