Spring, the season of rebirth, is as good a moment as any to review the second lives of the formerly cancelled. Some are faring better than others: Louis C.K., for one, is fully back in business, albeit after taking a multi-million dollar financial hit for his masturbatory scandal circa 2017. Roseanne Barr, who lost her TV series over a racist (and allegedly Ambien-induced) tweet is now a moderately successful podcaster, as well as a cast member on a new, “anti-woke” animated series from The Daily Wire. Shane Gillis, fired from Saturday Night Live over offensive comments, was welcomed back to the stage as host this year, a sure sign that all was forgiven.
These are the success stories, the comebacks, the triumphs over adversity. But then, in a category all his own, there’s Jussie Smollett.
