Michael Becker / FOX. © 2020 FOX MEDIA LLC(LOS ANGELES) — Fox announced on Wednesday that it is sticking with Nick Cannon as the host of its popular reality competition series The Masked Singer, following his apology on Facebook earlier in the day.
“When we were made aware of Nick Cannon’s interview with Richard Griffin on YouTube, we immediately began a dialogue with Nick,” the network said in a statement obtained by Variety. “He is clear and remorseful that his words were wrong and lacked both understanding and context, and inadvertently promoted hate. This was important for us to observe. Nick has sincerely apologized, and quickly taken steps to educate himself and make amends.”
“On that basis and given a belief that this moment calls for dialogue, we will move forward with Nick and help him advance this important conversation, broadly,” the statement continues. “Fox condemns all forms of hate directed toward any community and we will combat bigotry of any kind.”
“It’s never hate speech, you can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people,” Cannon said on the podcast. “When we are the same people who they want to be. That’s our birthright. We are the true Hebrews.”
In his apology, posted on Wednesday evening, Cannon said he now feels “ashamed” for those statements.
Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury hasn’t hasn’t commented yet on whether or not it plans to move forward with its new daytime talk show Nick Cannon, set to launch September 21.
Cannon also produces and appears in E!’s new reality show, Celebrity Call Center.
By George Costantino
Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.