Advertisement

Sandra Oh Fires Jussie Smollett in Saturday Night Live Sketch About Empire Fallout

Saturday Night Live poked fun at Jussie Smollett this week, portraying him as the boy who cried wolf in a sketch that addressed his uncertain future on Empire.

In the sketch, host Sandra Oh appears as his manager, who is desperately fighting Fox network executives and Empire creator and producer Lee Daniels (Kenan Thompson) to keep Smollett on the musical drama.

“I have represented Jussie his entire career,” she says. “I am sure there’s a very reasonable explanation for why he’s so late.”

At that moment, Chris Redd’s Smollett appears, clad in a red Make America Great Again hat, and armed with a “bag of clues” to help back up his claim that he was attacked — again — on his way over.

“Guys, you are not going to believe what just happened to me,” says the fake Smollett. “I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not that. I got attacked again!”

Sandra Oh, Chris Redd | NBC
Sandra Oh, Chris Redd | NBC

In the bag of clues is a box of Crest Whitestrips, which he suspects is “racial,” three red letters spelling out “KKK,” a receipt, car keys and a Teletubbies toy he describes as the “gay one.”

The sketch alludes to the fact that Smollett, 36, claimed he was attacked in Chicago on Jan. 29 by two masked men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs at him, doused him with a chemical and slipped a rope around his neck.

RELATED: Will Jussie Smollett Be Back on Empire? Why His Future on the Show Remains Uncertain

In the sketch, Thompson’s Daniels, who in real life is gay, deems his claims “absolutely ridiculous,” but Redd’s Smollett stands firm, exclaiming, “You can’t fire me. I made this show, man! I am the gay Lee Daniels!”

That statement gets him promptly fired by Oh, too. “I just hope he gets the help he needs,” she says.

Redd’s Smollett soon returns with a neck brace, claiming the group will never “believe what happened to me this time!”

Smollett has not officially been fired from Empire despite SNL’s jab, though his future on the series remains uncertain.

Jussie Smollett | Paul Beaty/AP/Shutterstock
Jussie Smollett | Paul Beaty/AP/Shutterstock

After he was arrested Feb. 20 and indicted on 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly staging the attack against himself, Smollett’s character Jamal Lyon was removed from the final two episodes of season 5 in order to “avoid further disruption on set.”

Police said at a press conference they believed Smollett paid $3,500 to orchestrate the “bogus” attack because he was unhappy with his Empire salary, though a source denied any dissatisfaction with money to PEOPLE.

RELATED: Jussie Smollett Removed from Final 2 Episodes of Empire Season 5 to ‘Avoid Disruption’ on Set

The case took a turn again, however, when the charges against Smollett — who has maintained his innocence — were dropped Tuesday.

“After reviewing all the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case,” reads a statement from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office obtained by PEOPLE.

RELATED VIDEO: Jussie Smollett Likely Wouldn’t Have Gone to Prison Even if Found Guilty at Trial

In light of the development, FOX Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Television, which jointly produce Empire, said in a statement, “Jussie Smollett has always maintained his innocence and we are gratified that all charges against him have been dismissed.”

A sixth season of Empire is still pending, as the show is up for renewal, though that didn’t stop the writers from posting on their verified Twitter account, “See y’all Wednesday,” with a winky face emoji and a screenshot of Smollett on CNN.

Smollett’s costars have weighed in on his case, too, with AzMarie Livingston telling PEOPLE in a statement she was eagerly awaiting his possible return to set.

Lee Daniels, Jussie Smollett | Paul Archuleta/Getty Images; Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
Lee Daniels, Jussie Smollett | Paul Archuleta/Getty Images; Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

“I’m happy his charges are being dropped and look forward to seeing Jussie on set and his character Jamal back on Empire,” Livingston said in a statement.

Daniels, meanwhile, said just before the charges were dropped that he and the rest of the cast felt “pain and anger” over the situation.

“Oh my God, these past couple of weeks have been a freakin’ roller coaster,” he said in an Instagram post. “Me and my cast have experienced pain and anger and sadness and frustration and really don’t know how to deal with it. You know?”