Why Jussie Smollett is Innocent in my Eyes.

Jussie Smollett was apparently being paid peanuts for his recurring role on Empire. According to a Newsweek article from October, 2016, Smollett was being paid 20,000 dollars per episode, which sounds like a lot, but for having a recurring role in one of the most Popular Prime Time Fox shows, it's actually Peanuts. 

In my opinion, if Smollett's Character is recurring, he should be making at least 50,000 per episode, not 20,000. Lead Actor's salaries range from 100,000 to 800,000 per episode, so 40,000 to 50,000 per episode for a recurring co-star role seems reasonable.

Charlie Sheen got more money in one episode of Two and a Half Men during his final season than Smollett's has been paid over the first three years worth of Empire Episodes. If Sheen's 1.8 million per episode is not the epitome of Racism in Hollywood, than lets all be grateful that Sheen never Drank, Smoke, did Drugs or hooked up with Prostitutes and possibly gave some Women HIV, and made more money in one episode than Smollett has made over the first three years of Empire.

and, we should all be grateful that after Sheen was run off of Two and a Half Men for his Drinking, Smoking, Drugging and possibly giving women Aids, he was NEVER offered another show nor crazy money ever again. (this is snark)

1. Charlie Sheen: The Two and a Half Men alum was the highest paid actor in television during his reign. He earned $1.8 million per episode in the show's final season and then took home $2 million per episode of Anger Management after it passed its 100th episode.

If Mr. Smollett was being paid just 20,000 per episode (that's TWO LESS Zeros than Sheen got from the SAME NETWORK that Smollett's show runs on. After being fired from 2 and 1/2 Men Fox then hired Sheen for Anger Management). 

After taxes, agents fees and other associated expenses with being a celebrity, not to mention higher costs for clothing, grooming, and where he lives, perhaps even security detail for public visitation, Chicago area taxes, Smollett's take home pay per year might not have been more than 150,000 to 200,000 TOTAL, a ridiculously low figure for any performer who manages to get a recurring role in any Prime Time TV Show that has at least 20 episodes per year.

While it appears that Smollette got raises at some point, because the original contract was for such a low amount per episode, a rather nominal raise will look like a very large raise in terms of percentage.

What is being perceived as selfish, "how could you do that behavior" is really defiance towards a Hollywood system that year after year purports to try and level the Diversity playing Field while still discriminating and dragging its feet, rewarding White Actors who behave very badly while financially punishing an African American Actor for finally lashing out after years of financial abuse from the same Network that paid Sheen 2 million per episode.

Yes, it matters that Smollett was obscenely underpaid, it matters greatly. Smollette wanted to be paid more for his work and when no one took him seriously, he didn't give up. 

I bet EVERYONE being Interviewed who is ridiculing or judging what Smollett allegedly did, makes more money per year than Smollett does, and for that reason, and that reason alone, they should either shut up, or acknowledge that he was underpaid and was being taken advantage of by the same system that Paid Charlie Sheen more money for one episode of Anger Management than Smollette's total Salary over his first three seasons of Empire. 

Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. I can't fathom this, it's beyond comprehension to me. People, learn Simple Math, please.

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