Nick Cannon Dropped by ViacomCBS for Anti-Semitic Comments

Nick Cannon has been dropped by longtime partner ViacomCBS over anti-Semitic comments made on his podcast. In a June 30 episode of Cannon’s Class, the actor and TV host said that Black people are the “true Hebrews” and put forth various anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. ViacomCBS, the company behind Cannon’s MTV series Wild ‘N Out, has since condemned his remarks, saying, “We are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him.”

On a recent episode of his podcast, Cannon’s Class, released on YouTube, Cannon sat down with Professor Griff, a rapper who left Public Enemy after making anti-Semitic comments. As the two discussed Professor’s Griff’s exit from the group, as well as Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan (who is widely considered anti-Semitic), Cannon insisted that anti-Semitic speech is “never hate speech,” as “you can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people.”

“We are the same people who they want to be,” Cannon said of Black people. “That’s our birthright. We are the true Hebrews.”

Cannon went on to discuss various anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about Jewish power “going as deep as the Rothschilds, centralized banking, the 13 families, the bloodlines that control everything even outside of America.”

Last night, more than two weeks after the podcast episode was released, ViacomCBS officially terminated its relationship with Cannon. “ViacomCBS condemns bigotry of any kind and we categorically denounce all forms of anti-Semitism. 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,” the company said in a statement. “We are committed to doing better in our response to incidents of anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry.”

On Monday, Cannon addressed the controversy in a series of social media posts. “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,” he wrote on Facebook and Twitter. However, Cannon refused to apologize, telling Fast Company, “To me apologies are empty … What we need is healing. What we need is discussion.”

ViacomCBS’ decision marks the end of a long relationship with Cannon, who appeared on Nickelodeon throughout the 19990s and early 2000s. He has hosted MTV’s Wild ‘N Out since 2005 and oversaw the show’s recent expansion to VH1. The company has yet to announce the fate of the long-running sketch comedy series in the wake of Cannon’s firing.

Where to stream Wild ‘n Out