Wild ‘N Out host Nick Cannon has been fired by ViacomCBS over anti-Semitic comments made in a June episode of his YouTube series Cannon’s Class. The announcement comes in the midst of Cannon giving back to the community today in Harlem, NY at Harlem Serves Up.
A representative for ViacomCBS said, “ViacomCBS condemns bigotry of any kind and we categorically denounce all forms on anti-Semitism”. They also stated they have spoken with Nick Cannon about the episode, but he failed to apologize for “perpetuating anti-Semitism”. Due to his lack of an apology or acknowledgment, ViacomCBS decided to terminate their relationship with Cannon.
Truly disturbing that @NickCannon would use his platform to perpetuate false antisemitic conspiracy theories and lift up the vehemently antisemitic Louis Farrakhan. He should apologize immediately and educate himself on why his comments are so harmful. https://t.co/5wkCjbQu8W
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) July 13, 2020
In the episode of Cannon’s Class, Cannon interviewed author and former Public Enemy member Richard “Professor Griff” Griffin. Griff was kicked out of Public Enemy in 1989 for making anti-Semitic comments during an interview with the Washington Post. He was quoted saying Jews were “responsible for the majority of wickedness that goes on across the globe”.
During the conversation regarding Griff’s comments, Cannon alluded to the fact that Blacks need to reclaim the term “Semitic” because the Jewish community’s use of the term was to disempower Black people. Cannon stated, “You can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people… That’s our birthright. We are the true Hebrews”.
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
Cannon addressed his comments on social media on Monday stating “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”.
Check out the full interview with Professor Griff.
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