Nick Cannon quits 'America's Got Talent' over reported racially charged joke

 

Nick Cannon says he is leaving NBC's "America's Got Talent" after a falling out with the network over a joke told on a Showtime comedy special.

In the special, Cannon told a racially charged joke employing "NBC" as an acronym incorporating a racial slur. In a lengthy Facebook post Monday, Cannon claimed that NBC executive threatened to terminate him over the joke.

"After days of deliberating over some extremely disappointing news that I was being threatened with termination by Executives because of a comedy special that was only intended to bring communities closer together, I was to be punished for a joke," Cannon wrote. He continued, "So I wish AGT and NBC the best in its upcoming season but I can not see myself returning."

Representatives for Cannon and NBC did not respond to a request for comment.

Cannon has served as host of "America's Got Talent" since 2009. The show is consistently NBC's highest-rated offering during the summer months.

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