Jussie Smollett Kinda Admits He’s A ‘Piece Of Sh**’

The disgraced former “Empire” star Jussie Smollett continued to profess his innocence this week in a new interview in which he claimed that he is not “a piece of sh**.”

Smollett Claims His Innocence…Again

After being found guilty of paying two men to stage a hate crime against himself back in 2019, Smollett was sentenced to 150 days in jail, but he was released back in March after just six days pending his appeal. While appearing on Sway Calloway’s SiriusXM show, “Sway in the Morning,” Smollett claimed that he never staged the attack, despite the mountain of evidence that he did just that.

“If I had done this, I’d be a piece of s–t. And I don’t think that’s really questionable,” said the 40-year-old actor, according to Page Six. “If I had done something like this, it would mean that I stuck my fist in the pain of black African Americans in this country for over 400 years.”

“It would mean that I stuck my fist in the fears of the LGBTQ community all over the world,” Smollett continued. “I am not that motherf—er. Never have been. Don’t need to be.”

Related: Jussie Smollett Maintains His Innocence With New Song ‘Thank You God’

Watch Smollett claim he didn’t lie in the video below. 

Smollett Talks Jail

It should be noted that Smollett could be seen wiping sweat off his forehead numerous times during the interview as he repeatedly claimed his innocence. He also said that he used the six days he spent in the Cook County Jail to “reset and regain clarity” by fasting.

“I was not fasting for lent. I was fasting because that’s what we do in my family, we fast for clarity,” Smollett continued, adding that he’s never “been as clear as I was for those six and a half days.”

While fighting back tears, Smollett said that the support from his family, especially his mother, got him through the less than a week that he spent behind bars.

“My family — the most wonderful human beings — I live and die for those people. Let me tell you something, mommy don’t go nowhere. Mommy is a house cat,” he said. “She was like, ‘Watch me stay in LA and my baby is in Chicago.’ She did not play.”

Related: Jussie Smollett Released From Jail Six Days Into 150-Day Sentence

Smollett Had To ‘Surrender’ Himself In Jail

Smollett then talked about being thrown into the jail’s psych ward.

“Lord knows I wanted to get out. I was in a f–ing psych ward … I was sleeping on a restraint bed but I wasn’t restrained,” he said.

“I have to keep it real, everybody inside was very kind and when I left, I thanked them all,” Smollett continued. “I said, ‘I don’t know what y’all think either way, but the fact that you didn’t let me know what you think either way and you just showed me respect I’m grateful for.’”

Smollett went on to say that he had to “surrender” himself in jail. 

“There’s something about being in there and you have no choice but to surrender yourself. Not to the system, not to a judge or a bunch of old white men ironically explaining to you about the history of hate crimes, but you’re surrendering to yourself,” he said. “You’re just left there with you, your thoughts, and these walls.”

“I believe that the prison system needs to be dismantled,” Smollett concluded.

Smollett’s Claims

Smollett claimed in January of 2019 that he was jumped by two men who hurled racial and homophobic slurs at him while also shouting “this is MAGA country.” After investigating his claims, however, police concluded that Smollett had allegedly staged the attack to secure himself a higher salary on his show “Empire.”

Smollett was initially sentenced to five months in jail for staging this hate crime, and he was also ordered to pay the city of Chicago $120,000 in restitution and a $25,000 fine. His attorneys managed to secure his release while they appeal his guilty verdict, however. 

Many feel that Smollett tried to play off the racial and political tensions in this country for his own personal gain. He can claim his innocence all he wants to, but at this point, his words are falling on deaf ears.