Tina Fey says she's 'opting out' of apologizing for jokes


In a new interview, Tina Fey said she's done defending her work and has realized the secret to longevity is never going online.
"Steer clear of the internet and you'll live forever," the actress and comedian told Net-a-Porter. Why her sudden disdain for the web? Fey said that an episode of her Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was deemed "racist" by some people online, and her new goal is "not to explain jokes. I feel like we put so much effort into writing and crafting everything, they need to speak for themselves."
As Vulture explains, Fey and Kimmy Schmidt co-creator Robert Carlock had Jane Krakowski play a Native American woman passing as white, and the episode included several jokes about her connection to Native culture. While on a Television Critics Association panel, Carlock told the audience there are Native American writers on staff, and "we felt like we had a little room to go in that direction." Fey made it clear that she is going to stand by what she writes. "There's a real culture of demanding apologies," she said, "and I'm opting out of that."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Mamdani upsets Cuomo in NYC mayoral primary
Speed Read Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani beat out Andrew Cuomo in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary
-
Iran nukes program set back months, early intel suggests
Speed Read A Pentagon assessment says US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites only set the program back by months, not years. This contradicts President Donald Trump's claim.
-
June 25 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons include war on a loop, the New York City mayoral race, and one almighty F-bomb
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read