...By Gift BADEWO for TDPel Media.
Donald Glover’s Experience as a Black Writer on “30 Rock”
Introduction: In a recent interview, Donald Glover revealed that he believes he was only hired as a writer on “30 Rock” due to NBC’s diversity initiative.
Despite landing his first breakthrough writing job on the hit sitcom in 2006 at the young age of 23, Glover admitted that he did not feel like he belonged there.
Diversity Initiative
Glover claims that NBC introduced a diversity incentive at the time, which allowed shows to hire black writers without it affecting the budget.
This initiative led to his hiring, according to Glover.
He said that Tina Fey, the creator and star of “30 Rock,” confirmed that he was only hired because of the program.
Competition for the Job
Glover revealed that he was not aware that he was competing against Kenya Barris, the creator of “Black-ish,” for the writing job until later.
According to Glover, Barris admitted to “hating” him for years after he was hired.
Experience on the Show
Despite writing for the Emmy Award-winning show for three years, Glover confessed that it never felt like he was supposed to be there.
He even experienced stress dreams every night where he was doing cartwheels on the top of a New York skyscraper with the other writers watching him.
Comments from Tina Fey
In a 2018 New Yorker profile, Fey confirmed that she hired Glover because funds from NBC’s Diversity Initiative “made him free.” Fey also admitted that she admired Glover’s talent but acknowledges that race played a part in his hiring.
Conclusion
While the hiring of black writers on “30 Rock” was a positive step towards diversity, it is clear that the program was not without its flaws.
Donald Glover’s experience as a writer on the show highlights the complex issue of diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry.
