ViacomCBS has fired Nick Cannon—who got his start on Viacom-owned Nickelodeon’s All That back in 1998—after he made anti-Semitic comments on his YouTube podcast last month.
The Forward reports that on a June 30 episode of Cannon’s podcast, Cannon Class, Cannon interviewed former Public Enemy member Professor Griff, who got kicked out of the group in 1989 for telling the Washington Times that “Jews are responsible for the majority of the wickedness in the world,” among other anti-Semitic statements.
Cannon reportedly praised Griff and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who the Southern Poverty Law Center has classified as “an antisemite who routinely accuses Jews of manipulating the U.S. government and controlling the levers of world power.” He also floated several anti-Semitic theories, including one about the “Rothschilds” and “the bloodlines that control everything, even outside of America,” and said, “You can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people… That’s our birthright. We are the true Hebrews.”
Cannon, who has promoted some problematic views in the past, addressed his comments in a Facebook post, noting that “[i]n today’s conversation about anti-racism and social justice, I think we all — including myself — must continue educating one another and embrace uncomfortable conversations.”
Cannon did not apologize, however, which ViacomCBS pointed out in a statement on Tuesday night after firing him, per the Forward:
“While we support ongoing education and dialogue in the fight against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him,” the media conglomerate said in a statement. “We are committed to doing better in our response to incidents of anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry. ViacomCBS will have further announcements on our efforts to combat hate of all kinds.”
Cannon, who was up until just now the host of MTV’s Wild ’n Out, has had a business relationship with Viacom since the late 1990s.