NBC: Leslie Jones' Olympic Commentary Can Continue

Network says it resolved third-party error causing comedian's videos to be blocked
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 7, 2022 1:26 PM CST
Updated Feb 8, 2022 9:07 AM CST
Leslie Jones Might End Much-Loved Olympics Commentary
Leslie Jones arrives at the People's Choice Awards on Dec. 7, 2021, in Santa Monica, Calif.   (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Update: NBC says Leslie Jones can continue sharing her colorful Olympics commentary after a "third-party error" caused her videos to be blocked. "We have resolved the situation. She is free to do her social media posts as she has done in the past," a rep says, per the AP. "She is a super fan of the Olympics and we are super fans of her." The former Saturday Night Live cast member has been tweeting about the Olympics since 2016 but early Monday suggested NBC was trying to push her out, and complained her videos were being blocked. The AP notes there are "stringent" rules on who can share NBC highlights and when. Jones' commentary has yet to resume. Our original story from Monday follows:

Leslie Jones' uncensored takes on events have been many fans' favorite part of every Olympics since 2016—but she is thinking about throwing in the towel. In an Instagram post Monday, the former SNL star said she was thinking about making Beijing 2022 the last Games she live-tweets, People reports. "I know, another celebrity bitching," Jones said. "But I'm tired of fighting the folks who don't want me to do it. They block my videos and they get folks who think they can do it like me. And I'm tired of fighting them."

Jones has been sharing videos on platforms including TikTok and Twitter of NBC's Olympics coverage, adding her own enthusiastic and often hilarious commentary and recaps. The videos are still up but her comments suggest she has been having copyright issues. "I love the athletes and they love me doing it. And I know y'all love it," she wrote on Instagram. "But now it's just gotten too hard. And no one is fighting for or with me. Soooo I guess I'll leave it to the professionals." Jones was part of the NBC team in 2016 and 2018, but Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg are providing Beijing commentary for NBC's Peacock, as they did for the Tokyo Games last year.

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Jones tagged NBC Sports in an earlier post, per Mediaite. "I have watched Olympics since I could walk lol. Me and my dad. So this is from my heart,” she wrote. "Y'all should be asking @NBCSports why they don’t see that. And think they can replace me with just anyone. " She retweeted several messages of support Monday, Page Six reports. "You’re hilarious. It’s the only way I can watch it now," one fan wrote. "NBC should be paying you. We don’t want anyone but you." (More Leslie Jones stories.)

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