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Tina Fey gets ‘30 Rock’ blackface episodes pulled from distribution, with Comcast’s support

The Upper Darby native apologized for the show's use of "race-changing makeup" in four episodes, saying, "I understand now that ‘intent’ is not a free pass for white people to use these images."

Tina Fey attends the American Museum of Natural History's 2019 Museum Gala in New York last fall. The comedian and actress from Upper Darby has apologized for the use of blackface in four episodes of her Emmy-winning show "30 Rock," and along with her cocreator, asked that they be pulled from syndication and streaming.
Tina Fey attends the American Museum of Natural History's 2019 Museum Gala in New York last fall. The comedian and actress from Upper Darby has apologized for the use of blackface in four episodes of her Emmy-winning show "30 Rock," and along with her cocreator, asked that they be pulled from syndication and streaming.Read moreEvan Agostini / Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
    by Ellen Gray
    Published 

Following a request from Tina Fey and her 30 Rock cocreator Robert Carlock, four episodes of their Emmy-winning sitcom that show characters in blackface are being pulled from syndication and streaming.

The move, which received the support of the show’s owner, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, was first reported by Vulture.com, which said the episodes were being removed from Hulu and Amazon Prime and will no longer be available for purchase on platforms like iTunes and Google Play, or be shown in TV reruns.

In a note obtained by Variety, Upper Darby’s Fey apologized for the show’s use of “race-changing makeup.”

“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. 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,” Fey wrote.

According to Variety, the episodes being taken out of circulation are “Believe in the Stars” (Season 3, Episode 2) and “Christmas Attack Zone” (Season 5, Episode 10), both of which featured Jane Krakowski’s character, Jenna, in blackface; “Live from Studio 6H” (Season 6, Episode 19), in which Jon Hamm was in blackface as part of an “Amos ‘n’ Andy” parody; and the East Coast version of “The Live Show” (Season 5, Episode 4).

After premiering in October 2006, 30 Rock ran for seven not particularly well-watched seasons on NBC, winning 16 Primetime Emmy Awards including three for outstanding comedy.

Fey and her former Saturday Night Live “Weekend Update” coanchor Amy Poehler are scheduled to return as hosts of the Golden Globes next year. On Monday, it was announced that the Globes would move from January to Feb. 28 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, which has delayed film and television production.