Jimmy Fallon comes under fire as his blackface SNL sketch from 20 years ago resurfaces

Jimmy Fallon comes under fire as blackface SNL sketch from 20 years ago resurfaces and outraged Twitter users call for his show to be cancelled

Twitter users are calling for Jimmy Fallon to be ‘cancelled’ after a Chris Rock impression he did in 2000 resurfaced showing him wearing dark makeup.

It’s the second time the clip has emerged in recent years and has reignited the debate on blackface and cancel culture. 

Most recently it surfaced when Megyn Kelly was let go from The Today Show in 2018 after she defended blackface Halloween costumes.

On Tuesday, the 20-year-old video showing Fallon on Saturday Night Live was shared among Twitter users with the caption: ‘NBC fired Megan Kelly for mentioning blackface. Jimmy Fallon performed on NBC in blackface.’

Cancel culture: Twitter users are calling for Jimmy Fallon to be cancelled after a Chris Rock impression he did in 2000 resurfaced 

The video shared on Twitter by @chefboyohdear, had a caption that read: 'NBC fired Megan Kelly for mentioning blackface. Jimmy Fallon performed on NBC in blackface.'

The video shared on Twitter by @chefboyohdear, had a caption that read: ‘NBC fired Megan Kelly for mentioning blackface. Jimmy Fallon performed on NBC in blackface.’

A similar tweet read, ‘Megyn Kelly was dismissed for being insensitive in merely DISCUSSING kids wearing blackface on Halloween. Jimmy Fallon actually WORE blackface while impersonating Chris Rock. He’s still working for NBC’

Soon after the hashtag #jimmyfallonisoverparty started trending as people discussed the issue.

Some lashed out at cancel culture, pointing out that 20 years is a long time to hold someone responsible for actions that were more accepted at the time.

‘I wish, they do realize they have a 0% chance of even canceling him right? This was 20 years ago and nowhere close to career ending,’ a user wrote in response to someone who tweeted the hashtag #cancelcultureisoverparty.

Blackface: The SNL clip featuring Darrell Hammond showed Fallon doing a Chris Rock impression in dark makeup

Blackface: The SNL clip featuring Darrell Hammond showed Fallon doing a Chris Rock impression in dark makeup

Important to bring up: Some lashed out at cancel culture, pointing out that 20 years is a long time to hold someone responsible for actions that were more accepted at the time

Important to bring up: Some lashed out at cancel culture, pointing out that 20 years is a long time to hold someone responsible for actions that were more accepted at the time

Another tweeted, ‘this is unacceptable but it was also AGES ago I mean like, what? 2 or 3 DECADES? while it’s important to bring it up because it’s something that happened and ISNT AT ALL okay, he shouldn’t be cancelled for it. BUT he needs to address it for what it is and apologise.’ 

Another person chimed in, ‘Y’all whack. How long ago was this? Was this snl? No one can be famous anymore bc we’ve all done something the society of 20years from now doesn’t like can we stop with trying to cancel people on their ost and focus on the present?’ 

Others demanded an apology from Fallon and asked for the immediate cancellation of his show The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. 

‘[Unfortunately] this gets mentioned/tweeted about once a year without a peep of an apology from @jimmyfallon,’ tweeted @thatchelseagirl, 

Lighten up people: Some Twitter users like this one think it is a big fuss over nothing

Lighten up people: Some Twitter users like this one think it is a big fuss over nothing

Some Twitter users pointed out that other prominent figures, TV personalities and actors have also done blackface but never been held accountable.

In 2019 Nick Cannon drew attention to the number of stars, including Jimmy Kimmel, Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Silverman that have previously worn blackface writing, ‘Happy ‘BLACKFACE’ History Month!!! I’m sure we can expect some more ‘Apologies’ by Monday…’ 

Another Twitter user wrote on Tuesday, ‘Well since Jimmy Fallon is cancelled for wearing blackface, are we going to cancel Robert Downey, Jr. also? Just sayin, y’all are a bunch of hypocrites,’ 

Downey Jr. played a black character in Ben Stiller comedy Tropic Thunder, a role he later said he didn’t regret playing. 

Yikes: In 2019 Nick Cannon drew attention to the number of stars, including Jimmy Kimmel, Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Silverman that have previously worn blackface

Yikes: In 2019 Nick Cannon drew attention to the number of stars, including Jimmy Kimmel, Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Silverman that have previously worn blackface

‘So jimmy fallon is canceled for this but justin trudeau does it dozens of times throughout his youth and is still re-elected as PM. I don’t understand this planet,’ said @kyriehugsloth.   

The ‘cancel Fallon’ Twitter trend comes just days after singers Lana Del Rey and Doja Cat came under fire for using racially insensitive words.

‘I know I did not just open Twitter and see that Jimmy Fallon did blackface in 2000. Nobody is safe from Twitter when we got this much time in our hand. First Lana, then Doja Cat, and now Jimmy Fallon. Please let me catch my [breath].’ one exasperated Twitter user wrote.