Fox to keep Nick Cannon as 'Masked Singer' host after his apology over anti-Semitic comments

The development came after media giant ViacomCBS fired Cannon from its improv show "Wild 'N Out" over a conversation on his YouTube podcast "Cannon's Class", which was deemed to contain racist language. Fox said that the company had a word with the host when the interview with former Public Enemy member Richard Griffin was brought to their attention, adding Cannon "sincerely apologised" for the same.

Fox Studios will continue its partnership with Nick Cannon as the host of "The Masked Singer" after he issued a lengthy apology over controversial anti-Semitic comments he had made recently on his podcast. The development came after media giant ViacomCBS fired Cannon from its improv show "Wild 'N Out" over a conversation on his YouTube podcast "Cannon's Class", which was deemed to contain racist language.

Fox said that the company had a word with the host when the interview with former Public Enemy member Richard Griffin was brought to their attention, adding Cannon "sincerely apologized" for the same. "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," Fox said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. Cannon, 49, will keep his job as the host of "The Masked Singer", the hit reality competition series, which is moving into its fourth season.

In a statement, Cannon offered "deepest and most sincere apologies to my Jewish sisters and brothers for the hurtful and divisive words" during the said interview, the video of which has since been removed. "They reinforced the worst stereotypes of a proud and magnificent people and I feel ashamed of the uninformed and naive place that these words came from," he said.

The actor-presenter also expressed gratitude to the rabbis and Jewish community leaders for reaching out to him to enlighten me, "instead of chastising me". "I want to assure my Jewish friends, new and old, that this is only the beginning of my education - 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.

After being sacked from "Wild 'N Out", Cannon shared a lengthy statement on Facebook slamming ViacomCBS, the company he was in association with for over two decades in different capacities. "Viacom ... is now on the wrong side of history. I am deeply saddened in a moment so close to reconciliation that the powers that be misused an important moment for us to all grow closer together and learn more about one another. Instead, the moment was stolen and hijacked to make an example of an outspoken black man," he said.

Cannon said he will "not be bullied, silenced, or continuously oppressed by any organization, group, or corporation". He also requested an apology from ViacomCBS as well as the "full ownership of my billion-dollar 'Wild 'N Out' brand that I created".

"... and they will continue to misuse and destroy without my leadership ... an idea in which I self-financed out my own pocket and presented to MTV ... Based on trust and empty promises, my ownership was swindled away from me," he added. In a statement issued on Tuesday, ViacomCBS said they condemn bigotry of any kind and categorically denounce all forms of anti-Semitism.

"While we support ongoing education and dialogue in the fight against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him," the network said.