More than three decades after one of the most controversial moments in Hollywood history Ted Danson stated that his remorse remains unchanged.
In the June 3 episode of the podcast "Who's With Me?" with W. Kamau Bell, host W. Kamau Bell told Danson, "You showed me how to apologize publicly.".
Danson immediately understood what Bell was talking about.
«"I need to apologize for this, and I want to apologize for this for the rest of my life," Danson said. "Because today, someone can go online and be like, 'What the fuck? Yeah. Wow, I feel betrayed and I'm angry and all that.' And I did.".
Actor of the TV series «Cheers» was referring to his performance at the Friars Club Comedy Roast in New York City, dedicated to his then-girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg, On October 8, 1993, Danson performed in makeup to imitate a black man during the event, causing immediate backlash across the country and leaving a lasting mark on his career.
What happened on October 8, 1993?
The Friars Club, a long-standing charity in New York show business, hosted a party in Goldberg's honor at the New York Hilton. Over 3,000 people attended the event, and celebrity guests poked fun at the Oscar winner. Parties at the Friars Club have long been known for pushing the boundaries of taste.
Danson admitted that his performance in blackface at a party honoring Whoopi Goldberg at the Friars Club was "arrogant" and "stupid." Photo: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/MEGA
As host, Danson took the stage with his face painted dark brown, a white stripe around his mouth, and dressed in a minstrel costume. During his performance, he used a racial slur more than a dozen times, joked about his and Goldberg's sex life, mentioned that she cleans his parents' house, and concluded by eating watermelon from a tray.
Looking back, Danson admitted his reasoning was deeply flawed.
«"At that moment, I thought, 'Here's one of the most outrageous and funniest black women in the world,'" he said. "I'm supposed to make fun of her, and I'm not a stand-up comedian.".
He told Bell that he had convinced himself that the act could work as a "theatrical performance.".
«"I looked at all these tapes and thought, 'Well, if I were black, I could say all these outrageous things. But I'm not black,'" Danson said. "Then it occurred to me, 'Well, I'll do it in black makeup.'".
Danson also said he believed the event would remain closed.
«"I thought it was going to be on closed circuit," he told Bell.
Before his speech, a reporter asked him to give a preliminary outline of the program, despite being told that the event was closed to the press.
«"My career will be over," he joked.
It almost happened.
Danson recalled that he realized almost immediately that the performance was a failure.
Danson's career survived the scandal; he went on to star in series like "Becker," "Damages," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," and the Netflix series "Inside Man." Author: Tammy Arroyo / AFF-USA.com / MEGA
«"After 20 seconds, I realized it was like sticking your finger in a wall socket," he said. Half the audience didn't get it, and the other half downright "hated" it.
Immediate negative reaction
Talk show host Montel Williams then condemned this performance.
«"I didn't know if I was at a Friars event or a Ku Klux Klan/Aryan Nation rally," Williams said.
According to the report The New York Times newspaper , Williams walked off the podium during her speech.
Whoopi Goldberg herself wrote much of the controversial material ridiculing Danson, which she publicly confirmed in an interview. Author: ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Mayor of New York David N. Dinkins , the city's first and only African-American mayor, also criticized the law, calling it "completely unacceptable.".
The Friars Club initially issued a public apology. However, a few days later, the all-male organization reversed its position and retracted the apology.
«"We believe that the attention this recent closed comedy performance received due to the violent reactions from people who apparently did not anticipate or understand our format was completely undeserved," the club's dean said in a statement.
Goldberg's Defense
Goldberg publicly defended Danson and admitted that she wrote much of the material herself.
She called the backlash "insane" and claimed critics had misunderstood the comedy's essence. "Whoopi has never been one for political correctness," she said.
Goldberg also said the role "took a lot of courage" and took direct responsibility for writing Danson's dialogue.
Goldberg, now a co-host of The View, has a long history of pushing the boundaries of comedy and social issues both on and off television. Photo: Spread Pictures / MEGA
In the podcast, Danson admitted that he "cleared it with Whoopi," but added, "Maybe she just didn't want to stifle my creativity.".
He called his decision to use racist language in the number "arrogant" and "stupid.".
Despite Goldberg's defense, the couple announced their separation less than a month after the controversial show.