Arts & Entertainment
Jussie Smollett calls Donald Trump ‘mogul of hate’
‘Empire’ star says GOP candidate has ‘store bought intelligence’
(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)
”Empire” star Jussie Smollett got passionate about his hate for Donald Trump during an interview with Michelangelo Signorile on SiriusXM Progress.
Smollett, 32, has stood in solidarity with Trump rally protestors on his Twitter, but now voiced his support in conversation with Signorile.
“I think that they are brave women and men,” Smollett says. “I think that they are soldiers against hate. I think that he is the mogul of hate. That is what I will call him forever. What he has done is capitalized on the fear of this nation.”
In a fiery plea, Smollett continued on that he considers Trump someone people should be afraid of, not encouraging.
“I think that [Trump] is truly one the worst people that has ever walked the face of this planet,” Smollett says. “I can’t talk about him without getting heated and I get so emotional about it. I’m so emotional about it because I feel it so deeply. And I’m also ashamed. I’m embarrassed for our nation, that we allowed someone like this to get so far.”
“We have learned to just be okay with laughing at something. To just be like, ‘Oh, this is a reality show.’ But it’s not a reality show. This is politics. This is something that is going to run our nation and in turn help run our world,” the actor and singer continued.
Smollett says he also doesn’t understand Trump supporters’ reasoning.
“And for everybody that is supporting Trump: Fuck are you thinkin’ about? Why the fuck?” Smollett says.
The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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