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It's seems there is no limit to Donald Glover's success these days, but according to the actor, comedian, singer (take a breath), rapper, writer, director and producer, breaking out was no easy feat.
In a recent interview with GQ, Glover opened up about his journey to get his foot in the industry's door, from his rejection by SNL and Parks and Rec to barely getting a writing spot on 30 Rock.
In fact, according to the Atlanta creator, he was hired on to 30 Rock as part of a "diversity incentive." The show's creator, Tina Fey herself, even told him so.
At the time, shows that hired Black writers benefited greatly from a budget initiative by NBC. Fey admitted to Glover he was a "diversity hire" for the monetary benefit.
He shared:
"There is no animosity between us or anything like that, but [Fey] said it herself... It was a diversity thing."
Many on Twitter recognized the real-life scenario as it played out as an episode on 30 Rock.
\u201c@PopCrave they literally did an entire episode of 30 Rock about this\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@AnthonyAmorim @PopCrave they don\u2019t care about the facts!! they just want to destroy the white man!!! PIZZA!!!\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@ShotGunFellatio @PopCrave They did a whole episode on it though\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@PopCrave The whole \u201cdiversity hire\u201d was a episode in the damn show \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02 tina knows what she\u2019s doing.\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@PopCrave this is literally a plot in the show we know it\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@PopCrave Donald Glover is an incredibly talented individual and a great entertainer. In fact, there was an entire episode dedicated to this topic. While it may have been intended as a joke, it's clear that Glover's skills and abilities are no laughing matter.\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
Several also noted "diversity" incentives are very common in the industry.
\u201c@PopCrave This may sound like a bad thing but it's not. In entertainment projects will get a benefit if they have a diverse staff. People get money for doing diversity and inclusion. Often times you get a tax incentive.\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@PopCrave I mean\u2026 that makes sense. lol.\n\nDiversity Hires are a thing and many of us know that, especially if we go through a diversity program.\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@molls @seabryze @PopCrave Mindy Kaling was a diversity hire for the office and has talked about it plainly as well. It's not a dig at Fey. Just a reality that needs to be addressed and navigated until things shift for folks like me\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
\u201c@SLoecker @molls @seabryze @PopCrave Tina Fey also talks in BossyPants that she was considered a diversity hire for SNL, even though she described herself as an obedient white woman.\u201d— Pop Crave (@Pop Crave) 1680709778
Glover also shared that—while he didn't know it at the time—the "diversity hire" spot came down to him and Black-ish creator Kenya Barris.
"The last two people who were fighting for the job were me and Kenya Barris."
"I didn't know it was between me and him until later."
"He hit me one day and he was like, 'I hated you for years!'"
We'd say they both came out of it okay.