30 Rock is the latest show to re-evaluate their content for racial insensitivity as tensions continue to rise across the globe. Following in HBO Max’s footsteps to remove Gone With The Wind for its depiction of black people, show creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock asked all streaming platforms to take down four of their episodes that feature blackface. Tina apologized for the “pain they’ve caused” in a penned letter.
“As we strive to do the work and do better in regards to race in America, we believe that these episodes featuring actors in race-changing makeup are best taken out of circulation,” Fey wrote in a letter to platforms, Variety reports. “I understand now that ‘intent’ is not a free pass for white people to use these images. I apologize for pain they have caused. Going forward, no comedy-loving kid needs to stumble on these tropes and be stung by their ugliness. I thank NBCUniversal for honoring this request.”
The four episodes in question are “Believe In The Stars” (S3, E2) and “Christmas Attack Zone” (S5, E10) where Jane Krakowski (Jenna) wears blackface. Jon Hamm also wore blackface as part of an Amos ‘n’ Andy” parody in “Live from Studio 6H” (S6, E19), and the east coast version of Live Show (S5, E4) will be removed while the west coast version will still be available for streaming—no word on why that’s the case.
Tina Fey’s swift redaction of racial insensitivity comes at the same time Jimmy Kimmel is under fire for his resurfaced The Man Show skits where he wore blackface to impersonate Oprah Winfrey and Chris Rock.
How did Jimmy Kimmel get away with all these blackface sketches???? pic.twitter.com/Jgka2TELbW
— 💫✨ (@TheJessieWoo) June 23, 2020
What do you think of Tina Fey’s request to remove the shows from streaming platforms?