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US late night TV host Jimmy Fallon has apologised for wearing blackface during a Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketch 20 years ago.
NBC's Tonight Show star can be seen with dark make-up in the scene, where he portrayed fellow comedian and SNL cast member Chris Rock appearing on a talk show.
Fallon 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."
Reports that such a clip existed first emerged in the US media in February 2019, and on Tuesday, the hashtag #jimmyfallonisoverparty began trending on Twitter.
It is not the first time a white SNL star has been cast in a black role on the show.
In 1984, actor Billy Crystal portrayed Sammy Davis Jr, and more recently, Fred Armisen impersonated former US president Barack Obama.
Robert Downey Jr and comedian Sarah Silverman have also been criticised for wearing blackface, while Fallon's fellow late night host Jimmy Kimmel has also come under fire for wearing make-up to impersonate Oprah Winfrey.
Last September, Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau apologised for dressing up in blackface for a party in the 1990s, saying "the layers of privilege" he has benefited from meant he did not see that it was racist.
https://news.sky.com/story/jimmy-fa...lackface-skit-on-saturday-night-live-11995370
US late night TV host Jimmy Fallon has apologised for wearing blackface during a Saturday Night Live (SNL) sketch 20 years ago.
NBC's Tonight Show star can be seen with dark make-up in the scene, where he portrayed fellow comedian and SNL cast member Chris Rock appearing on a talk show.
Fallon 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."
Reports that such a clip existed first emerged in the US media in February 2019, and on Tuesday, the hashtag #jimmyfallonisoverparty began trending on Twitter.
It is not the first time a white SNL star has been cast in a black role on the show.
In 1984, actor Billy Crystal portrayed Sammy Davis Jr, and more recently, Fred Armisen impersonated former US president Barack Obama.
Robert Downey Jr and comedian Sarah Silverman have also been criticised for wearing blackface, while Fallon's fellow late night host Jimmy Kimmel has also come under fire for wearing make-up to impersonate Oprah Winfrey.
Last September, Canada's prime minister Justin Trudeau apologised for dressing up in blackface for a party in the 1990s, saying "the layers of privilege" he has benefited from meant he did not see that it was racist.
https://news.sky.com/story/jimmy-fa...lackface-skit-on-saturday-night-live-11995370
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