Nick Cannon today announced he’s exiting “America’s Got Talent.”
On his Facebook page today, Cannon wrote a lengthy essay about the reason for his departure from the hit NBC reality series, citing a joke he told in a recent stand-up comedy special on Showtime that allegedly did not sit well with executives at NBC.
His post reads in part:
I write this from a deeply saddened and dolorous mindset. After days of deliberating over some extremely disappointing news that I was being threatened with termination by Executives because of a comedy special that was only intended to bring communities closer together, I was to be punished for a joke. This has weighed heavy on my spirit. It was brought to my attention by my team that NBC believed that I was in breach of contract because I had disparaged their brand. In my defense, I would ask how so? Or is this just another way to silence and control an outspoken voice who often battles the establishment. … Or is this just another way to silence and control an outspoken voice who often battles the establishment. Recently many of my mentors have cautioned me that soon The System would come down on me because I was speaking too many truths and being to loud about it. I had no idea that it all would hit so close to home. I find myself in a dark place having to make a decision that I wish I didn’t have to, but as a man, an artist, and a voice for my community I will not be silenced, controlled or treated like a piece of property. There is no amount of money worth my dignity or my integrity. I have loved hosting AMERICAS GOT TALENT for the last 8 seasons, watching talented, brave, and courageous Americans accomplish their dreams in front of millions has been nothing but a joy, and everyone has been a pleasure to work with but my soul won’t allow me to be in business with corporations that attempt to frown on freedom of speech, censor artists, and question cultural choices. This hurts tremendously. I felt like I was apart of the fabric of our great nation every summer, representing every culture, age, gender, and demographic. Now for the rug to be pulled from underneath me and to be publicly reprimanded and ridiculed over a joke about my own race is completely wrong and I have to do something about it.
According to the hollywoodreporter.com, the joke in question was the following, which aired on Cannon’s “Stand Up, Don’t Shoot special:
“But I honestly believe, once I started doing America’s Got Talent, they took my real n—– card. They did! Because then like these type of people started showing up to my shows,” Cannon said in the special as he jokingly pointed to three older white audience members in the front row. “I can’t do the real n—– stuff no more, because then they’ll put me on TMZ.”
You can read Cannon’s full Facebook post here.
