Nick Cannon fired by ViacomCBS for 'perpetuating anti-Semitism'
Nick Cannon has been fired by ViacomCBS.
The company says it's cutting ties with Cannon in response to anti-Semitic comments he made on a recent podcast, The New York Times reports.
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Cannon, who hosted and starred on shows on ViacomCBS networks including Wild 'n Out and The Nick Cannon Show, on the podcast talked about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and described Black people as the "true Hebrews," Variety reports.
"You can't be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people," Cannon said. "When we are the same people who they want to be. That's our birthright. We are the true Hebrews."
Cannon was talking with Professor Griff, who in 1989 left Public Enemy after his anti-Semitic comments, with Cannon praising the rapper as a "legend," per the Times. Additionally, Cannon spoke favorably about Louis Farrakhan, who according to the Southern Poverty Law Center is "an antisemite who routinely accuses Jews of manipulating the U.S. government and controlling the levers of world power."
After Cannon's comments sparked outrage, he said in a statement that he has "no hate in my heart nor malice intentions" and does "not condone hate speech nor the spread of hateful rhetoric." On Wednesday morning, he retweeted numerous messages calling for a boycott of ViacomCBS over his firing.
