Nick Cannon says he took a long hard look in the mirror after engaging in anti-Semitic rhetoric on a podcast in 2020.
While chatting with AllHipHop over the weekend, the 42-year-old was asked if he “learned anything” after getting fired by ViacomCBS for calling Jewish people “savages” and saying that black people are the “true Hebrews.”
“I’m going to be super honest with you, man. That process was a growth moment for me, on so many levels as a man,” he told the outlet.
In fact, the “Masked Singer” host has since started a podcast alongside the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt, to learn more about the Jewish community.
“It’s really talking about the equation of our two communities from two different perspectives,” Cannon said. “We voice our side or the perspective as a black man, and then he voices his side from a Jewish man. Just even that alone is helpful and educational for both communities.”
He continued, “And, again, because that’s the thing, we can sit up here and be enraged, but if we don’t engage, what are we really doing, if we can’t even learn from one another? And clearly, we all know the issues, we all know the tropes, we all know the stereotypes.”
Cannon said at the end of the day it’s “just about bringing people closer together” so that there is a deeper understanding between both communities.
His explanation comes nearly three years after the TV personality posted a “Cannon’s Class” podcast episode with Professor Griff, a rapper who reportedly told the Washington Post in 1989 that Jews were responsible “for the majority of wickedness that goes on across the globe.”
In the interview, the men perpetuated Jewish stereotypes, saying that their “deficiency” has historically led them to commit acts of violence.
“They’re acting out of fear, they’re acting out of low self-esteem, they’re acting out of a deficiency,” Cannon claimed.
“So, therefore, the only way that they can act is evil. They have to rob, steal, rape, kill in order to survive. So then, these people that didn’t have what we have – and when I say we, I speak of the melanated people – they had to be savages.”
He also claimed that Black people are “the true Hebrews” and made reference to anti-Semitic conspiracy theories regarding “Zionists” and the Rothschild family.
Cannon was subsequently fired from his hit TV show, “Wild ’n Out,” with ViacomCBS saying they were “deeply troubled” by his comments.
Soon after, the former “America’s Got Talent” host issued an apology on Facebook for putting his Jewish Brothers and Sisters “in such a painful position.”
He also addressed the incident on Twitter, saying he couldn’t believe “the hurtful and divisive words that came out of my mouth.”
“I am committed to deeper connections, more profound learning and strengthening the bond between our two cultures today and every day going forward,” he added.
Less than one year later, ViacomCBS rehired Cannon to host the hit comedy improv series.