Nick Cannon let go by ViacomCBS after making anti-Semitic comments

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — Nick Cannon was dropped by ViacomCBS after he made anti-Semitic comments on his “Cannon’s Class” podcast.

The actor, comedian, rapper, director, writer, producer and television host interviewed Professor Griff on June 30 where the two talked about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.

Cannon told Griff, who is a rapper, spoken word artist, and lecturer, that Black people are the “true Hebrews”.

“It’s never hate speech, you can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people,” he said. “When we are the same people who they want to be. That’s our birthrights. We are the true Hebrews.”

This conversation immediately sparked outrage on social media. The group Americans Against Antisemitism on Twitter demanded that immediate action be taken.

ViacomCBS released a statement saying the company’s long-running relationship with Cannon was terminated.

Cannon sent out a series of tweets Monday addressing the matter.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have no hate in my heart nor malice intentions. 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.

— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020

The Black and Jewish communities have both faced enormous hatred, oppression persecution and prejudice for thousands of years and in many ways have and will continue to work together to overcome these obstacles.

— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020

When you look at The Media, and other sectors in our nation’s history, African Americans and The people of the Jewish community have partnered to create some of the best, most revolutionary work we know today.  (Cont.)

— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020

I am an advocate for people’s voices to be heard openly, fairly and candidly. In today’s conversation about anti-racism and social justice, I think we all including myself must continue educating one another &embrace uncomfortable conversations it’s the only way we ALL get better

— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020

I encourage more healthy dialogue and welcome any experts, clergy, or spokespersons to any of my platforms to hold me accountable and correct me in any statement that I’ve made that has been projected as negative. (Cont.)

— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020

Until then, I hold myself accountable for this moment and take full responsibility because My intentions are only to show that as a beautiful human species we have way more commonalities than differences, So let’s embrace those as well as each other. We All Family!🙏🏾

— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020

He also retweeted dozens of tweets from others who were in support of him. Some even started saying they were going to boycott ViacomCBS.

Cannon is now demanding full ownership of his hit TV show “Wild ‘N Out”. Cannon has hosted the MTV and VH1 series since its 2015 debut.

He said ViacomCBS is on the “wrong side of history” after being let go and is asking for an apology from ViacomCBS.

“If I have furthered the hate speech, I wholeheartedly apologize. But now I am the one making demands,” Cannon wrote on Facebook. “I demand full ownership of my billion dollar ‘Wild ‘N Out’ brand that I created, and they will continue to misuse and destroy without my leadership! I demand that the hate and back door bullying cease and while we are at it, now that the truth is out, I demand the Apology!”

Cannon went on to list his achievements over the past 20 years, including executive producing and hosting “The Masked Singer”.

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