Getty Nick Cannon attends the premiere of Netflix's "Sextuplets" at ArcLight Hollywood on August 7, 2019, in Hollywood, California.
Nick Cannon has been fired from ViacomCBS for refusing to apologize for anti-Semitic comments made during his podcast.
The media giant made the announcement Tuesday, July 14, according to USA Today, after Cannon claimed that “the Semitic people are Black people” on a June episode of “Cannon’s Class.” He also touched on several anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
ViacomCBS said in a statement obtained by the outlet that “Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize” for his anti-Semitic comments.
“ViacomCBS condemns bigotry of any kind and we categorically denounce all forms of anti-Semitism,” the statement reads, USA Today reported. “We have spoken with Nick Cannon about an episode of his podcast ‘Cannon’s Class’ on YouTube, which promoted hateful speech and spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
“While we support ongoing education and dialogue in the fight against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him.”
Cannon made the controversial comments during a June 30 interview with former Public Enemy member Professor Griff, according to Variety Magazine.
In the interview, the actor suggested that Black people are the “true Hebrews” and touched on several anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, the magazine continued.
“It’s never hate speech, you can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people,” Cannon continued. “When we are the same people they want to be. That’s our birthright.”
Cannon has since spoken out about the controversy on Facebook, claiming he has no “malice intentions.”
“Anyone who knows me knows that I have no hate in my heart nor malice intentions,” Cannon said. “I do not condone hate speech nor the spread of hateful rhetoric. We are living in a time when it is more important than ever to promote unity and understanding.”
Cannon’s Firing Is Receiving a Mixed Reaction on Twitter
Getty
Many have taken to the social media platform to share their thoughts on the star’s departure. “Nick Cannon” was trending late Tuesday night with more than 190,000 tweets.
Some supported ViacomCBS’s decision, criticizing Cannon’s sentiments on skin color:
BLACK SUPREMACIST
Nick Cannon is a racist black man and yes black people can be racist too!!
Snoop Dog is racist too.
Nick called White People evil soulless subhuman savages and animals
I HAVE MESSAGE FOR @NickCannon
RT if you don’t support racism!
Other users showed their support for the Wild ‘n Out host by claiming his sentiments resonated with them.
Several even created a #BoycottViacom hashtag.
white people are mad about what Nick Cannon said because they never learned how bad slavery was. It’s the school’s fault for watering down our history, 8% of hs don’t know slavery was the cause of the war. But at some point you must take it upon yourself to learn BLACK history
Twitter users also took the opportunity to express there are bigger fish to fry when it comes to accountability, including Jimmy Kimmel for his previous performances in blackface.
The only unfair thing about Nick Cannon racist saga is that he got fired as fast as lightning but @jimmykimmel is still chilling with @ABCNetwork in his black face and spitting out a lot of N-words.
Nick Cannon has been fired. Porsha Williams has been arrested. Yet Rona and #BreonnaTayor’s killers are galavanting in the streets. Jesus keep us.
Cannon Had a Long Working Relationship With ViacomCBS
GettyNick Cannon and DJ D-WREK accept the Best Host award for ‘Wild ‘n Out’ onstage during the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 15, 2019, in Santa Monica, California.
Cannon began his relationship with the media giant back in the ’90s, when he was an actor on Nickelodeon, Variety Magazine reported.
The actor gained notoriety when he hosted Wild ‘n Out, an MTV and VH1 sketch comedy show that has been on air since 2005, the magazine continued.
Currently the host of The Masked Singer on the Fox Broadcasting Network, Cannon is working to launch “a syndicated daytime talk show in September with Debmar-Mercury,” according to Variety.
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