Here’s a name that hasn’t popped up in the headlines for a while. The last time we heard from infamous race-hate hoaxer Jussie Smollett, he was still attempting to claim that his story was true, and even if it wasn’t he had already reached a settlement that should have precluded him being put on trial again. That didn’t work out too well for him, particularly after the actors he hired to pretend to be violent Trump supporters began doing appearances on all the talk shows describing how it all happened. But now Smollett is taking up residence in a new place. Unfortunately, it’s not a jail cell, but he is checking himself into rehab to deal with his “personal issues.” (Page Six)

Jussie Smollett checked himself into an outpatient rehab treatment program following his release from jail, Page Six can confirm.

“It’s something he’s been wanting to do for years,” a source close to the former “Empire” actor confirmed to us Wednesday. They added that he “just wrapped a movie” and felt “it was time.”

TMZ was the first to report the news, with his rep revealing that “Jussie has had an extremely difficult past few years.”

You’ll recall that Smollett was eventually convicted on several counts related to the hoax and sentenced to five months in Jail. But he wound up being released after just six days. According to his brother, he spent the entire time in “the psych ward.” His agent said he’s had a very hard time these past few years and he needs to seek some help.

I’m sure he doesn’t mind the attention though. He still talks about how the attack was real and tries to get people to listen to him. As I wrote in September, Smollett just won’t let it go and accept that he’s been exposed as a fraud.

I suppose that once some people get a taste of the spotlight they simply feel as if they’ve “made it” and the world owes them something. But if Smollett was being honest with himself, he would admit that he was never as famous as clearly pictured himself being. He never really made it to the A-list and even though following the Hollywood glitterati has never really been my thing, I’d never even heard of him before the fake hate-crime attack.

As Page Six reports, unbeknownst to me, Jussie Smollett even produced a rap song about his experience filled with complaints about how nobody believes his tales. The title was Thank You, God. It includes accusations that the Chicago Police didn’t want to solve the hate crime he claimed was committed against him. He also poses the question, “You think I’m stupid enough to kill my reputation?”‘

I could take a stab at answering that one for him, but I’m feeling in a particularly charitable mood today. So is it possible that we’ve heard the last of this attention-starved wannabe celebrity and he might come out of rehab prepared to return to some sort of normal life? I wouldn’t bet your last nickel on it. It just seems like the idea of fading into obscurity would be more horrifying to Jussie Smollett than a long stretch behind bars.