‘Empire’ season 2 stars Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, and Bryshere ‘Yazz’ Gray heading on USO tour

In what is one of the coolest things we’ve seen announced from the world of “Empire” this month, a few of the show’s cast members are giving back to servicemen and women halfway around the world by taking part in a USO tour.

It was announced this week that Taraji P. Henson, Jussie Smollett, and Bryshere “Yazz” Gray are all going to be heading to Japan from December 13-17, where they will visit a number of bases and more than likely speak and perform for the troops. (Smollett and Gray, as you’ve seen on the show, have strong musical leanings.) It’s a chance to help these people feel a little more like they’re not too far from home during a very sentimental time of the year; we’re not sure what TV ratings or viewership is these days at bases, but we imagine that a show like “Empire” could be popular for many men and women during their down time.

What’s also cool about this announcement is that it is coming in a relatively tight window of time. Henson just finished doing a “White Hot Holidays” special that featured her and her co-star Terence Howard front and center. Meanwhile, the three are all still in the process of filming “Empire” season 2 still, and are taking some time off from a break to go and do this. When you consider the sort of hours that go into making a TV show, it is all the more impressive.

Then again, visiting troops in another country is an honor in its own right, and it could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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