Jimmy Fallon apologises for wearing blackface in old 'SNL' skit after viral backlash
by ANIAmerican comedian Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday apologised for wearing blackface during a 2000 episode of 'Saturday Night Live.' According to Fox News, the 45-year-old 'The Tonight Show' host was facing backlash on social media after Twitter users put a spotlight on an old sketch when he impersonated comedian Chris Rock and had darkened his face with makeup, and the hashtag #JimmyFallonIsOverParty began trending on the platform.
Fallon later tweeted, "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." Fallon was a cast member on 'SNL' from 1998 to 2004.
Fallon isn't the only comedian to land in hot water over past use of blackface.
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel wore blackface several times while impersonating former NBA player Karl Malone and daytime talk show host Oprah Winfrey during his tenure on 'The Man Show.' In a 2007 satirical episode of 'The Sarah Silverman Program,' Comedian Sarah Silverman also wore blackface, wherein her character accepted the challenge of "being black" for a day while unwittingly offending others for wearing blackface.