NBC(NEW YORK) — Jimmy Fallon apologized on Tuesday after drawing criticism for appearing in blackface during a Saturday Night Live sketch 20 years ago, calling it a “terrible decision.”
The sketch from 2000 featured Fallon portraying comedian and fellow SNL allum Chris Rock during interview with Darrel Hammond as TV host Regis Philbin. NBC had previously removed the video from its website, but the clip resurfaced on Twitter and YouTube.
“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 wrote on Twitter. “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.
I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.
— jimmy fallon (@jimmyfallon) May 26, 2020
The clip, seems to have resurfaced on the account @chefboyohdear, who drew a comparison between Megyn Kelly, who was fired from NBC in 2018 for appearing to defend blackface Halloween costumes, with Fallon, who “performed on NBC in blackface.”
On Tuesday, the hashtag #JimmyFallonIsOverParty began trending on Twitter, with social media users calling to “cancel” Fallon for his impersonation.
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