Entertainment

Project 21 Urges Kennedy Center To Rescind Tina Fey’s Comedy Award Following Participation In Blackface

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Project 21 urged the John F. Kennedy Center to rescind comedian Tina Fey’s comedy award due to her participation in blackface.

The black activists sent a letter to the Kennedy Center after Fey requested NBC remove episodes of “30 Rock” that featured her in blackface, according to a press release sent to the Daily Caller.

“We are not trying to cancel Tina Fey,” Project 21 member Horace Cooper said in a statement. “Tina Fey cancelled herself when she asked Hulu to purge offensive episodes of ’30 Rock,’ calling the fruits of her creativity ‘ugliness.’ We are simply alerting the Kennedy Center – which has acted in the past to protect itself and the integrity of the Twain Prize – to do so again in light of Tina Fey’s admission.” (RELATED: ’30 Rock’ Creator Tina Fey Apologizes For ‘Pain’ Caused By Blackface Sketches, Requests Episodes Be Pulled)

“Our view on the rightness or wrongness of blackface whether done by celebrities or otherwise hasn’t changed,” Cooper said in a statement to the Daily Caller. “Tina Fey has personally used and profited from ‘entertaining’ her audience using Blackface. Either it was wrong when she did it then or it is right today. By her actions, she demonstrates that the Kennedy Center acted hastily in awarding her.”

The Mark Twain Prize is awarded to individuals “who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to” Mark Twain, the Kennedy Center’s website said.

“We expect American culture to demonstrate through its actions consistency and respect for all races,” Cooper told the Daily Caller. “These standards are timeless and do not change.”

Fey had reportedly had four episodes of “30 Rock” removed from Hulu, according to a report published by Variety.

“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 said in a statement.