David Byrne apologises for 1984 blackface video

Veteran musician David Byrne has apologised for a 1984 promotional video for his band Talking Heads where he appeared in blackface. The video, which Byrne had shot for his band's concert film "Stop Making Sense", featured the singer as both himself and a variety of interviewers, including men of colour.

Veteran musician David Byrne has apologised for a 1984 promotional video for his band Talking Heads where he appeared in blackface. The video, which Byrne had shot for his band's concert film "Stop Making Sense", featured the singer as both himself and a variety of interviewers, including men of colour. On Tuesday, the 68-year-old British-American star took to Twitter and said the resurfaced clip was brought to his attention recently by a journalist and he is "grateful" for that.

"To watch myself in the various characters, including black and brown face, I acknowledge it was a major mistake in judgement that showed a lack of real understanding. "It’s like looking in a mirror and seeing someone else- you’re not, or were not, the person you thought you were," Byrne said. The singer-songwriter further said he is prone to making mistakes like many people but insisted that he is a "changed man" now. "One hopes that folks have the grace and understanding to allow that someone like me, anyone really, can grow and change, and that the past can be examined with honesty and accountability," Byrne added.

The veteran singer joins a host of other celebrities and longtime comedians who have regretted their past blackface performances in the aftermath of a series of police brutality incidents in the US. Byrne is currently promoting the Spike Lee-directed film version of his Broadway show "American Utopia". The movie will debut on HBO Max in October.