Tina Fey requests "30 Rock" episodes with blackface be removed from streaming platforms
Tina Fey asked streaming platforms to remove episodes of "30 Rock" that included blackface and her request is being honored, according to Vulture. Four episodes of the hit NBC show are being removed from Hulu and Amazon Prime and are no longer available for purchase on iTunes and Google Plus.
The change comes after Fey, the show's star and executive producer, sent a note to distribution partners asking them to remove episodes that include the offensive "race-changing," makeup, Vulture reported. The episodes will also no longer air on TV.
"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. "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."
"30 Rock" aired from 2006 to 2013. The historically racist blackface makeup was worn by Jane Krakowski's character, Jenna, in two episodes, Vulture reports. Reddit users noticed that these episodes, which were part of seasons three and five, were removed at least a week ago.
Two additional episodes will also be removed, according to Vulture. The show's live episode from season six, which features guest star Jon Hamm in blackface, will no longer be available. Another live episode from season five will also be removed. However, only the East Coast version is being pulled. The West Coast version will remain, says Vulture.
The decisions come after HBO Max temporarily removed "Gone with the Wind" amid outcries over the film's dated depictions of slavery and racism, according to multiple reports. That decision followed the publication of an op-ed by "12 Years a Slave" screenwriter John Ridley in the Los Angeles Times. Ridley said "Gone with the Wind" not only falls short with regard to representation. "It is a film that glorifies the Antebellum South," he said.
A spokesperson for HBO Max said the film will eventually return to their streaming catalog, along with additional content that would contextualize the controversial historical depictions and elements of the story.
Zach Seemayer contributed to this report.
