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Leslie Jones, the comedian and former cast member of Saturday Night Live, has said that NBC has pressured her to stop live-tweeting her reactions to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.
Jones' live-tweeting of the Olympics since 2016 has gained her attention among her fans and sports lovers, but she says she's in a battle: "I'm starting to feel like this should be my last olympics i live tweet. I know I know, another celebrity b*tching [eye roll emoji] But i'm tired of fighting the folks who don't want me to do it," Jones wrote via Instagram on February 6.
"They block my videos and they get folks who think they can do it like me," Jones continued.
She didn't specify who "they" are or how her videos have been blocked. However, NBC has "asked her to stop live-tweeting the Olympic Games," according to a tweet by Mike Sington, a senior executive at NBC Universal. NBC owns the rights to the U.S. broadcast of the Olympic Games.
Though she didn't name who she meant when stating "folks who think they can do it like me," she likely meant rapper Snoop Dogg and comedian Kevin Hart, who both offered comedic commentary during the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games.
"And I'm tired of fighting them," Jones' message continued. "I love the athletes and they love me doing it. And I know y'all love it. 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. But thank you for all the love. #uptoyallnow."
Leslie Jones does it stay anywhere I’m not welcomed. #uptoyallnow pic.twitter.com/jark0Joc0N
— Leslie Jones ? (@Lesdoggg) February 7, 2022
When Twitter users asked if she felt discouraged from live-tweeting due to "trolls" harassing her on social media, Jones responded, "It's not the hate. It's NBC."
Newsweek contacted NBC and Jones' representatives for comment.
Jones has helped distinguish her comedic voice by live-tweeting the last few Olympic Games. Most of her live tweets involve her making excited comments and jokes over TV footage of athletes.
A prime example of her tweeting style can be seen in one of her Sunday tweets. In it, Jones recorded herself reacting to 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva's routine. Valieva landed a quad jump, but also fell, leading Valieva to hold her head in seeming sadness immediately after her routine.
"When they do them spins like that, I love that. That's one of my favorite things to watch. Look at that s***! Look at that s***! That girl is, yo," Jones exclaimed while the young skater pulled one leg completely parallel to her body while spinning.
"Don't be upset baby. You did your thing. So trust and believe. All them skaters wish they could do that s***," Jones said to the TV as the skater looked distraught. "I like her head-bun too," she added.
Many of Jones' fans gleefully retweet and comment on her videos, tagging NBC in messages encouraging the network to hire her as a commentator.
