On Sunday I told you the very strange story of Jussie Smollett, the Empire TV singer-actor who is suddenly famous. Why? Because two MAGA goons attacked him last week in Chicago, when he was returning to his apartment. Or so he says.

Over the weekend, Smollett performed in Los Angeles, where the sold-out crowd greeted him like Odysseus returning from the Trojan War.

He told the adoring crowd how he “fought the **** back!” Brave, brave Jussie! And then St. Jussie talked about love for everyone! Not Trump supporters, of course, just the right people.

Notice how in the video Smollett corrected some of the hot takes that entertainment media were pushing — like TMZ, which originally reported that the perps broke his rib. Well, of course he corrected that gaffe — it would’ve been a bit difficult to believe he had a painful broken rib with all those dance moves.

But while the media are still peddling the narrative that the attackers yelled “This is MAGA country!” local Chicago media have released details of threatening mail Smollett received the week before the “attack.” TMZ, of course, was all over the death threats immediately, but the Chicago Tribune has now released details about the mail. Carefully, though — they don’t want to destroy the Poor-Gay-Black-Jussie-Beat-Up-by-Trumpers narrative.

Smollett reported that in the week before the “attack” he received an envelope containing white powder and a message in cut-out letters (can this be any more formula?) that read: “You will die black fag.” The envelope had two American flag stamps affixed, and “MAGA” written in red letters in the upper left-hand corner.

Update on @JussieSmollett alleged hate crime case:

• Threat letter with white powder was mailed from SW suburbs

• Cops know "potential persons of interest" to be "two bums."

MORE: https://t.co/D5V4aTn5D5 pic.twitter.com/tZIrUfh8R1

— CWBChicago (@CWBChicago) February 4, 2019

Seriously. How badly scripted can this get?

It turns out that the powder was crushed acetaminophen — aka “Tylenol.” It was postmarked from Bedford Park, a tiny suburb near Midway Airport. As I recall from having grown up on the Indiana side of ‘Chicagoland,’ the area around Midway is largely blue collar. If you’re going to send a MAGA hate letter, that’s a great place to have it postmarked.

Approach to Midway Airport.

Credit: Roy Luck @ flickr. Attribution 2.0 Generic.

But while the media are tiptoeing around the Jussie narrative, local Chicago crime blogs are reporting more damning information. The info comes from sources close to the investigation.

Like that “threatening letter,” for example. Guess who’s quietly investigating that? Oh, just the FBI — because issuing a threat through the mail is a federal crime. 

Sources have also told local blog CWBChicago about those two “persons of interest” from released surveillance photos. And they’re not MAGA muggers — they’re “two bums.” Not only that, the source said that higher-ups pressured the release of the photos:

“Downtown demanded that we put out something, so we issued the photos. They weren’t happy.”

Then there’s the woman from Smollett’s apartment building who claimed she saw “rednecks” nearby before the attack. Of course, because the pricey Streeterville area where the event took place is crawling with rednecks (insert eye roll). Police wisely dismissed that tall tale.

Finally, there are the phones that both Smollett and his manager have refused to turn over to the police. Both men claimed that they were speaking with each other when the attack occurred. Moreover, Smollett’s manager claimed that he heard “MAGA country” and racial slurs being shouted.

Well, well, sources say that subpoenas have been issued to obtain those phones. Maybe if the CPD listens really, really hard, they can pick up on that hate language. Kind of like those guys on Ghost Adventures who hear faint otherworldly messages on digital recordings. And about as believable, too.

I have a feeling that the Smollett House of Cards is going to come crashing down very soon. The thing is — will the media actually report it, or just sweep it under the rug, like any other story that doesn’t fit their narrative?

UPDATE: Under a FOIA request, Chicago Police have released the Smollett incident report, which you can read here. Spoiler alert: there is no reference to “MAGA” being yelled, despite the hysterical reports by mainstream and entertainment media. Let me show you my shocked face.

Featured image: cropped from Bill Wren @ flickr. Attribution CC by-SA 2.0