Nick Cannon wrote on Facebook and other social media accounts Monday that he does not see himself returning as host of NBC’s "America’s Got Talent" this summer because of the network’s reaction to comments he made during a comedy special aired on Showtime.
According to Variety, Cannon referred to NBC as an acronym using a racial slur during the Showtime special "Stand Up, Don’t Shoot," which aired Friday. Cannon claimed the network threatened to terminate his contract because he "disparaged their brand," although TMZ reported NBC had decided not to fire Cannon for breach of contract.
Cannon also had allegedly stated during the special that NBC was making him lose his “black card.” It was unclear which of the comments led to the speculations about Cannon being fired.
Cannon said in a long Facebook post he is “deeply saddened” about leaving AGT, but that his integrity is more important than the show or making money.
"I have loved hosting 'America’s Got Talent' for the last 8 seasons ... but my soul won’t allow me to be in business with corporations that attempt to frown on freedom of speech, censor artists, and question cultural choices," Cannon wrote. "My moral principles will easily walk away from the millions of dollars they hang over my head. It’s never been about the money for me, what is difficult to walk away from is the fans, the people who love me on the show."
Cannon further said in the post that he felt it was wrong for him to be "publicly reprimanded and ridiculed over a joke about my own race."
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