Tina Fey requests streaming platforms to take down 30 Rock episodes that feature blackface in heartfelt letter

Tina Fey penned down a letter to all the platforms streaming 30 Rock to take down four offensive episodes of the show and apologized for "the pain they've caused."

By Pinkvilla Desk

Updated on Jun 24, 2020 | 06:45 PM IST | 2.4M

Tina Fey speaks up for all the blackface episodes of 30 Rock to be removed from streaming platforms.

Numerous episodes of 30 Rock will soon leave all streaming platforms if they haven't already. The episodes in question feature characters in blackface, and at the request of creator Tina Fey and NBC Universal, the four episodes will soon be unavailable to stream or buy. The 50-year-old actress said, "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," in her letter to online streaming services, as per Vulture Magazine.

In an attempt to take down offensive content, especially given the current climate in the US, Fey’s letter also shared "I understand now that ‘intent' is not a free pass for white people to use these images. I apologize for the pain they have caused. Going forward, no comedy-loving kid needs to stumble on these tropes and be stung by their ugliness. I thank NBC Universal for honouring this request."

Two of the episodes involve Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski) darkening her skin with makeup. In one episode, season three's Believe in the Stars, she and Tracy (Tracy Morgan) switch places for a day as an experiment. In season five's Christmas Attack Zone, Jenna dresses up as Black Pittsburgh Steelers star Lynne Swann while boyfriend Paul (Will Forte) dresses up as Natalie Portman from Black Swan.

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In season six's live episode Live From Studio 6H, Jon Hamm did a spoof of Amos N' Andy and appeared in blackface. The east coast version of the season five live show, titled Live Show, will also be removed, while the west coast version will still be available. No reason has yet been made clear for the removal of the east coast version.