Last month, the 2015 Emmy nominations were announced, revealing that Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis made history by becoming the first two Black women to be nominated at the same time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. But the excitement over their nominations was overshawdowed when “Empire” creator Lee Daniels slammed the Television Academy over what he felt was an Emmy snub.
In a short video clip in which he was captured alongside “Empire” star Jussie Smollett, Daniels said, “Jussie is saying I have to be politically correct on Instagram, F— these MOTHERF—–!”
However, later on, Daniels posted a follow-up video, in which he congratulated Henson on her nominations. “Taraji, whoo, whoo, baby! Whoo hoo! That’s what I’m talking about. Congratulations. Now, bring that motha home for big daddy. Bring it home! I love you,” he said.
Now, it appears that Daniels has changed his tune. On Thursday, during Fox’s summer press tour for season two of his musical drama, he addressed his critics. “I spoke to my cast when we didn’t get the Emmy nomination, and I told Terrence and everyone, we are lucky to be employed,” Daniels said. “We are blessed. God has blessed me to be employed and to be in front of you right now, and in a show that I enjoy going to work to. I could be unemployed. So many of my peers, people that I respect, are unemployed, so I am honored to just go to work.”
As for that video where he called the Emmy voters “motherf—ers,” Daniels claims he didn’t intend to disrespect anyone.
“I think people take things out of context. If you follow me on social media, you’ll get my sense of humor. You’ll get a sense who it is that I am,” he said. “I’m so happy that my friends… I have intimate friends from other shows that I am really good friends with that got nominated, and deservedly so. We got a lot of good shows on TV. So I think that … Que sera sera …It is what it is. It’s all good. We got three, guys! Taraji, and we got two costume, yeah. So I’m excited for them.
“I think people dwell on the negative and stuff, and looked at it like oh, sour grapes. It really wasn’t sour grapes. If you studied my instagram, you’d see that there is a real sense of twisted humor that was there and a deep appreciation for the Emmys, and certainly no disrespect or outrage at all. Yeah, of course it would be nice to have an Emmy nomination, but I realize that there’s next year, or the year after.”
And while we feel that oftentimes things are taken out of context in the social-sphere, we feel Daniels should have just owned his prior rant. After all, “Empire” was a recording-breaking, smash hit. Who wouldn’t be upset?
“Empire” season two premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 23 on Fox. Will you be watching?
