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UPDATED: Jimmy Fallon Apologizes After Backlash Over 2000 SNL Blackface Skit

May 26, 2020 | Posted by Ashish
Jimmy Fallon

UPDATE: Jimmy Fallon has apologized over the video that has surfaced of a 2000 Saturday Night Live skit in which he wore blackface to impersonate Chris Rock. After the video resurfaced and gained prominence on Tuesday, the Tonight Show host posted to Twitter to comment on the story.

Fallon wrote, “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.

I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.”

ORIGINAL: Jimmy Fallon has come under fire today after a video surfaced of him on Saturday Night Live in 2000 in blackface, impersonating Chris Rock. Many Twitter users started the hashtag #jimmyfallonisoverparty, calling the skit “racist” and calling for Fallon to be fired as the host of The Tonight Show and some calling for SNL to be canceled.

Fallon and NBC have not responded to the news yet. Chris Rock has also not commented on the skit.

Some users have pointed out that NBC fired TV host Megyn Kelly in 2018 over her comments about wearing blackface as part of Halloween costumes on Today. NBC publicly condemned Kelly for the comments and the two sides ended up in a legal battle that got settled in 2019.

Fellow comedians Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman have both also faced backlash over the years for wearing blackface in the past. Many Twitter users are also now once again bringing up Robert Downey Jr. wearing blackface in Tropic Thunder.

The controversial clip is below.

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Jimmy Fallon, Ashish