Full Breakdown
Ted Danson’s 1993 Blackface Roast: Apology and Aftermath
6/5/2026, 12:12:14 AM
The 1993 Friars Club Roast
In October 1993, actor Ted Danson performed a roast of then-girlfriend Whoopi Goldberg at the New York Friars Club. Wearing blackface makeup, he delivered a routine that included racial slurs, jokes about their sex life and a “performance-theater” approach he later described as an attempt at satire. The private event drew a packed audience of more than 2,000 guests.
Relationship and Media Pressure
At the time of the roast, Danson and Goldberg were ending a high-profile interracial affair that had been scrutinized by tabloids. Danson said the press framed their relationship as purely sexual, prompting him to “address” the criticism on stage. He and Goldberg attempted to cancel the roast, but the club “sold so many tickets” that the show proceeded.
Key Players
- Ted Danson – “Cheers” and “The Good Place” star, now 78.
- Whoopi Goldberg – actress and comedian, then 39, who later defended Danson.
- W. Kamau Bell – host of the “Who’s With Me?” podcast where Danson revisited the incident.
- David Dinkins – New York City’s first Black mayor, who called the jokes “way, way over the line.”
- Montel Williams – talk-show host who walked out during the performance.
- Mary Steenburgen – Danson’s wife of 32 years, who “couldn’t understand” the stunt.
Timeline of Events
- 1992-1993 – Danson and Goldberg’s romantic involvement.
- Oct 1993 – Friars Club roast; Danson performs in blackface.
- 1993-1994 – Immediate backlash; Dinkins condemns the material, Montel Williams exits, the Friars Club dean later apologizes.
- 2020-2021 – Clips resurface during the Black Lives Matter movement; Danson loses some corporate sponsorships.
- June 3-4 2026 – Danson appears on Bell’s podcast, offers a full-length apology and reflects on the incident.
Audience Reaction and Numbers
Danson recalled that “20 percent of the crowd got it and thought it was cool, 30 percent hated it, and 50 percent hated it and hated me.” He also said the performance “left the room before I was over,” indicating a rapid negative response.
Official Statements & Responses
Danson told Bell he “needs to and wants to apologize for the rest of his life,” emphasizing that modern viewers can still feel “betrayed” and “angry.” Bell praised Danson’s willingness to confront the past, noting the actor’s “admirable” effort to keep discussing the issue. The Friars Club dean issued an apology to anyone “discomforted and offended.” Goldberg’s 1993 statement asserted, “We were not trying to be politically correct. We were trying to be funny for ourselves.” Dinkins’ public comment labeled the routine “way, way over the line.”
Criticism & Opposition
Montel Williams walked out mid-performance, and Dinkins publicly condemned the material. Media coverage described the act as a “train wreck” and “one of the biggest, messiest blackface scandals of the modern era.” Danson later acknowledged that the stunt cost him corporate opportunities and caused lasting hurt to Goldberg.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on Goldberg’s involvement in writing the jokes: some claim she helped craft the material, while others present her solely as a defender of Danson. Additionally, the event was described as a private club roast, yet later commentary references broader public broadcast and widespread media coverage. No video of the performance exists; only photographs and eyewitness accounts document it.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I need to and want to apologize for the rest of my life because somebody today can go on the internet and go, ‘What the f–k? Wow, I feel betrayed, I feel angry.’ And I did that,” — Ted Danson
- “I knew what my intention was. My intention was love. It doesn't matter. Your intentions do not matter. The impact you have on people is what matters.” — Ted Danson
- “Within 20 seconds, I was like, ‘I stuck my finger in a light socket,’” — Ted Danson
- “way, way over the line.” — David Dinkins
- “We were not trying to be politically correct. We were trying to be funny for ourselves.” — Whoopi Goldberg
Why It Matters
The episode illustrates how a high-profile entertainment moment can reverberate for decades, influencing discussions on race, comedy, and accountability. Danson’s renewed apology underscores a broader cultural shift toward evaluating historical actions through contemporary lenses, especially as the Black Lives Matter movement resurfaces past injustices.
What’s Next
Danson indicated he will continue to address the incident whenever it resurfaces, and Bell suggested the conversation may serve as a template for other public figures confronting past missteps. No formal reparative actions beyond the apology have been announced.
