Celebrities who are personalities
in mainstream entertainment media are in a position where anything they say can
present a right or wrong sort of message. Many instances of the latter have led
to the luminaries in question to be made pariahs by the audiences, and run the
risk of being let go by their respective networks. This most recently has been
the story of recording artist and TV host Nick Cannon, who was called out for
several anti-Semitic remarks on one of his podcasts, leading to ViacomCBS booting
him out of hosting duties for “Wild n Out” on VH1. Thankfully for him, another
network has decided to keep him on.
Entertainment Weekly has it that Fox network has announced that
currently-controversial Nick Cannon will retain his hosting duties for their
singing reality competition “The Masked Singer.” A statement released by Fox on
Wednesday, July 15, notes that they have engaged in dialogue with Cannon
following the fallout of his recent YouTube-hosted podcast with rapper-lecturer
Richard Griffin/Professor Griff where he spoke some pointedly hostile
observations about Jews. "He is clear and remorseful that his words were
wrong and lacked both understanding and context, and inadvertently promoted
hate,” the Fox statement continues.
While Fox insists that their
network as policy condemns hate and bigotry against any community from any of
their contracted talent, they are assured following their talk with Cannon that
the “Masked Singer” host has been remorseful about the incident, having “apologized
and taken steps to educate” himself in order to make amends for his outburst.
The embattled celebrity gave his own statement on the matter echoing Fox’s
sentiments. He described his words as reinforcing the worst stereotypes about
Jewish people and culture. To that he, Cannon relates that he has removed the
video interview with Griffin from his podcast.
The above mea culpa from Nick
Cannon was something of an about-face in attitude, considering that his initial
reaction to ViacomCBS removing him from “Wild n Out” last Wednesday was to
defend his opinions and call out the mass media conglomerate for trying to “silence
the outspoken black man.” His stance however wavered in subsequent posts on his
Facebook page, even as more public voices, particularly from the Jewish community
in the US, has condemned Cannon’s questionable supposition while interviewing
Professor Griff that Jews and non-white were incapable of acting any other way
than “evil.”
“The Masked Singer” on Fox, which
Cannon has hosted from the beginning, has completed three seasons through 2019
to 2020. With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a spinoff after-show on a virtual
stage with video-telephony called “The Masked Singer: After the Mask” aired
from April to May, also with Cannon as host. Another spinoff, “The Masked Dancer,” saw
production delayed until late 2020, but with hosting duties given to Ellen
DeGeneres.
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