Nick Cannon has announced that he will be “taking time away” from his radio show, after he issued an apology online for anti-Semitic comments he made on a podcast.
In a series of tweets, Cannon said that he made the decision in order to “commit (himself) to deeper, more thorough reflection and education.” Cannon said in his apology, posted Wednesday evening, that he is speaking with “Rabbis, community leaders and institutions” within the Jewish community.
I will use this time to establish an action plan towards real, impactful change and advocacy aimed at bringing people together,” added Cannon via Twitter. “I continue to express my gratitude to the Rabbis, community leaders and institutions who have reached out to me to help enlighten me. “Their input and friendship will help me as I further commit myself to more profound learning and towards strengthening the bond between the Black and Jewish cultures every day going forward.”
The companies who work with Cannon have had differing responses to his comments. ViacomCBS, with which Cannon has had a long-term relationship, terminated its work with the star, including his long-running sketch comedy series “Nick Cannon’s Wild ‘n Out.” Whereas Fox decided to keep Cannon as the host of “The Masked Singer,” with a spokesperson for the company saying that “this moment calls for dialogue.”
The controversy stems from the June 30 episode of Cannon’s podcast “Cannon’s Class,” which featured former Public Enemy member Professor Griff. At one point in the episode, Cannon said Black people are the “true Hebrews” and talked about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories involving the Rothschild family.
