Nick Cannon is walking away from one of his most high-profile gigs after alleging that NBC threatened to “silence” him.
Nick Cannon’s recent Showtime comedy special Stand Up, Don’t Shoot lived up to its title. The name is a play on words stemming from the “hands up, don’t shoot” chant that is screamed at protests that follow whenever an unarmed Black man is shot down by police. It’s also a nod to Cannon’s rising desire to be an edgy comedian and political activist in addition to being a popular mainstream television host. So in the title, Cannon is asking his many audiences ranging from his Nickelodeon days to his rapper phases to MTV’s
It’s also a nod to Cannon’s rising desire to be an edgy comedian and political activist in addition to being a popular mainstream television host. So in the title, Cannon is asking his many audiences ranging from his Nickelodeon days to his rapper phases to MTV’s Wildin’ Out to NBC’s America’s Got Talent, not to persecute him for the jokes he’s going to tell.
In the aftermath of the special, where he told countless jokes about race, directly calling out the White people who like him, he did indeed get shot, twice. Once in the foot by himself, and again in the chest by NBC.
In a Facebook post, Cannon announced that he was leaving his gig of nearly a decade as host of America’s Got Talent. He says he made the decision after he was notified that NBC did not care for some of the jokes he told in Stand Up, Don’t Shoot. Among them were those when they were mentioned by name.
Cannon joked:
“I grew up like a real n*gga, but I honestly believe, once I started doing America’s Got Talent, they took my real n*gga card. They did! Because then like these type of people started showing up to my shows [points at White people in the front row]. I can’t do the real n*gga stuff no more, because then they’ll put me on TMZ…I apologize, white people. We over here talking about bitches and players and stuff, and you think this is America’s Got Talent. It’s going to be a little different tonight. America’s Got Talent, but America’s got n*gga, too, so. You staring at a real one onstage…Matter of fact, that’s what NBC gonna stand for tonight. N*gga Better Come on, ‘cuz N*gga Be Cussing! So N*gga Be Careful!”
In his Facebook post blasting NBC, Cannon says:
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…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. Not to get too detailed but this isn’t the first time executives have attempted to “put me in my place” for so called unruly actions. I will not stand for it.
