Ted Danson apologizes for 1993 blackface roast

Actor Ted Danson has expressed deep and lasting regret for performing in blackface during a 1993 Friars Club roast of his then-girlfriend, Whoopi Goldberg. Danson, now 78, discussed the incident at length on the "Who's With Me?" podcast, stating he feels the need to apologize for the rest of his life.

The event took place in New York City at a time when Danson and Goldberg's romantic relationship was ending. Both had attempted to withdraw from the roast but were told the Friars Club would sue due to the number of tickets sold. Faced with roasting someone he described as one of the most outrageous, funny Black women in the world, Danson said he felt out of his depth as a non-standup comedian.

He decided on a "performance theater" approach. Danson explained that he thought if he were Black, he could say outrageous things, and that doing the routine in blackface would give him license. He worked on the material for months and said he ran it by Goldberg beforehand, suggesting she may not have wanted to squelch his creativity. The performance included racial slurs and jokes about their interracial relationship.

The reception was immediately negative. Danson recalled that within 20...