Tina Fey criticises 'culture of demanding apologies' and claims she won't apologise if people find her jokes offensive

'I'm opting out of that'

Fey also advised avoiding the internet (Brad Barket/Getty Images)

Tina Fey has criticised the “culture of demanding apologies” after her show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was accused of being racist.

In an interview with Net-a-porter magazine, the acclaimed comedian said she is not one to subscribe to this culture and won’t apologise if her jokes are deemed offensive.

The 45-year-old alluded to the controversy surrounding an episode of the Netflix series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which Fey co-created and produces.

She said: “We did an Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt episode and the internet was in a whirlwind, calling it ‘racist’, but my new goal is not to explain jokes.

Fey was more than likely referring to the character Jacqueline Voorhees, played by Jane Krakowski, who rejects her Native American heritage. Further criticism ensued over the fact that the actress is not Native American.

“I feel like we put so much effort into writing and crafting everything, they need to speak for themselves.

“There’s a real culture of demanding apologies, and I’m opting out of that.”

Much of the criticism came through social media and online articles, which Fey appeared to suggest she doesn’t take much notice of.

“Stay clear of the internet and you’ll live forever”.

Fey spoke similarly of the internet in an interview with Advocate magazine in November, when responding to criticism that another character in the programme, Titus, was a “gay stereotype”.

Explaining that she based the character on an old friend, she said: “I don’t worry about what the internet says. Getting into trouble with the internet is not real. The internet is not a force you have to obey.”

Fey made a name for herself with a long-running stint on the flagship US comedy show Saturday Night Live. She starred in the TV sitcom 30 Rock and has written numerous films including the cult Millennial classic Mean Girls.