Jimmy Fallon apologizes after Twitter calls out 2000 ‘SNL’ blackface sketch
Almost no entertainer has a perfect history, and Jimmy Fallon is no exception.
The “Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” host and former “Saturday Night Live” cast member was a trending topic on Twitter overnight for his portrayal of Chris Rock in a 2000 skit on the late-night show in which he wore blackface.
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One tweet that appeared to prompt his name and #jimmyfallonisoverparty to trend is a post by user @chefboyohdear.
#jimmyfallonisoverparty if ur trying to see what he did pic.twitter.com/5K2eAH7Vjn
— s🅰️m🐀 (@chefboyohdear) May 26, 2020
The video, which included the caption "NBC fired (Megyn) Kelly for mentioning blackface. Jimmy Fallon performed on NBC in blackface," appeared to have been initially posted by an account called Broken Volume in February 2019.
Jimmy Fallon Blackface,,, pic.twitter.com/jwr0OiNxfE
— BrokenVolume (@BrokenVolume) February 9, 2019
The response to the resurfaced video of Fallon in blackface was mixed.
first lana, then doja, and now jimmy?! PLEASE LET US BREATHE IT’S LITERALLY ONLY TUESDAY #jimmyfallonisoverparty pic.twitter.com/uxSTrWJ1qM
— 𝙣𝙮𝙝𝙝 𝙗🤩 (@_nyhhbailey) May 26, 2020
Instead of being outraged that a comedian wore blackface on an SNL skit 20 YEARS AGO please focus your outrage on the racist sitting in the White House who’s destroying our planet and Golfing while people die from #COVID19 #jimmyfallonisoverparty
— David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) May 26, 2020
Jimmy Fallon is being cancelled by the Twitter mob because he once put on blackface to play Chris Rock in a Saturday Night Live skit twenty years ago.
— Possum Reviews (@ReviewsPossum) May 26, 2020
Meanwhile, Justin Trudeau and Ralph Northam get a pass.#jimmyfallonisoverparty pic.twitter.com/PWY5GNvmgw
#jimmyfallonisoverparty
— HAYDN (@HaydnLipa) May 26, 2020
twitter is really gonna cancel lana, doja and now jimmy before they cancel 6ix9ine...i can’t with this blue bird app 🙂 pic.twitter.com/lxhKLuOkMO
Fallon apologized in a tweet of his own Tuesday evening.
“In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface. There is no excuse for this,” Fallon tweeted. “I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.”
In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface. There is no excuse for this.
— jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) May 26, 2020
I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.
About the Author
Kelcie Willis is a writer and online content producer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Sociology from the University of Georgia. At the AJC, she covers state, regional and national news with the Content Curation Desk.
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