Arts & Entertainment
Jussie Smollett calls himself ‘the gay Tupac’ in first public appearance since attack
The actor urged the crowd to ‘be blacker, be gayer’
“Empire” star Jussie Smollett made his first public appearance on Saturday night following a reported homophobic and racist assault in Chicago on Jan. 29.
Smollett performed at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, Calif., a concert that had been scheduled prior to his attack. His siblings prefaced his performance with a message of support for their brother.
“If I’m honest,
#JussieSmollett’s siblings took the stage in LA to make a statement on behalf of the family before he performs. pic.twitter.com/AORmYreN9m
— deray (@deray) February 3, 2019
Smollett appeared on stage saying that, “I had to be here tonight. I couldn’t let those motherfuckers win.”
On Jan. 29, it was reported that Smollett was walking from a sandwich shop at 2 a.m. in Chicago when two men in ski masks approached him. They yelled homophobic and racist slurs at him, beat him, put his neck in a noose and poured a bleach-like chemical substance on him. Police are currently investigating the attack as a “possible hate crime.”
During the performance, Smollett took the time to clarify details of his alleged assault.
“Just because there’s been a lot of stuff said about me that’s absolutely not true. There’s just a couple of points I want to make really quick,” Smollett told the crowd.”I was bruised but my ribs were not cracked. They were not broken. I went to the doctor immediately. I was not hospitalized. Both my doctors in LA and in Chicago cleared me to perform, but said to take care obviously.”
“And above all, I fought the fuck back,” Smollett concluded. After receiving a huge cheer from the crowd,
Jussie Smollett speaks out on inaccuracies surrounding his attack. pic.twitter.com/xHYW8Q5bBy
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) February 3, 2019
Smollett canceled his meet-and-greet at the show for security reasons. Attendees with meet-and-greet tickets were offered refunds or the money could be donated to the Black AIDS Institute.
He closed out the show by imploring the crowd to “Be as black, be as brown, be as gay as the fuck you want to be. Now is the time. Be blacker, be gayer, do it right the fuck now.”
Photos
PHOTOS: Helen Hayes Awards
Gay Men’s Chorus, local drag artists have featured performance at ceremony
The 41st Helen Hayes Awards were held at The Anthem on Monday, May 19. Felicia Curry and Mike Millan served as the hosts.
A performance featuring members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and local drag artists was held at the end of the first act of the program to celebrate WorldPride 2025.
The annual awards ceremony honors achievement in D.C.-area theater productions and is produced by Theatre Washington.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
2025 D.C. Trans Pride was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on Saturday, May 17. The day was filled with panel discussions, art, social events, speakers, a resource fair and the Engendered Spirit Awards. Awardees included Lyra McMillan, Pip Baitinger, Steph Niaupari and Hayden Gise. The keynote address was delivered by athlete and advocate Schuyler Bailar.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
a&e features
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.
The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.
The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.
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