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The production company behind Mad Men will keep an episode featuring a character in blackface, instead opting to attach a disclaimer when the series returns to streaming services this month.
Episode three of the AMC period drama’s third season, ‘My Old Kentucky Home’, sees the character Roger Sterling, played by John Slattery, wear blackface to sing the anti-slavery ballad ‘My Old Kentucky Home’ to woo his wife Jane at a party, played by Peyton List.
Most other characters laugh at Sterling’s performance, though Don Draper (Jon Hamm) is uncomfortable and asks his wife, Betty (January Jones), if they can leave shortly after.
The show’s production company, Lionsgate, released a statement to the Los Angeles Times today (July 2) explaining the decision to keep the scene and episode.
“This episode contains disturbing images related to race in America. One of the characters is shown in blackface as part of an episode that shows how commonplace racism was in America in 1963,” it reads.
“In its reliance on historical authenticity, the series producers are committed to exposing the injustices and inequities within our society that continue to this day so we can examine even the most painful parts of our history in order to reflect on who we are today and who we want to become. We are therefore presenting the original episode in its entirety.”
The same statement will now show as a title card when the episode plays on Amazon’s IMDb TV streaming service from July 15.
The move comes as the entertainment world reevaluates scenes and episodes that feature problematic content in the wake of global anti-racism protests. The decision to keep the Mad Men episode contrasts that of The Office, Peep Show and Community which removed scenes involving blackface.
Episodes of 30 Rock, The Mighty Boosh, Little Britain and more have been taken off of streaming services. An episode of Fawlty Towers was previously removed over the use of racial slurs, though was reinstated by UKTV with a warning.
Last month, Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss teased that the show may be hosting a reunion on Zoom.
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