Actor Nick Cannon currently is under fire for espousing comments that have been criticized as anti-Semitic, including that Zionists and Rothschilds have “too much power.”
On July 12, Jewish Insider reported that Cannon said in a 2019 episode of “Cannon’s Class” − Cannon’s YouTube talk show − that recently went viral on Twitter that people are “giving too much power to the ‘they’ — and then the ‘they’ turns into the Illuminati, the Zionists, the Rothschilds.”
He also said of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, “Every time I’ve heard him speak, it’s positive, it’s powerful, it’s uplifting … for whatever reason, he’s been demonized.”
Additionally, Cannon claimed “the semitic people are the Black people” and that “you can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the semitic people. When we are the same people who they want to be. That’s our birthright.”
Jewish groups condemned Cannon’s remarks as anti-Semitic.
“Truly disturbing that @NickCannon would use his platform to perpetuate false anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and lift up the vehemently anti-Semitic Louis Farrakhan,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt tweeted. “He should apologize immediately and educate himself on why his comments are so harmful.”
Truly disturbing that @NickCannon would use his platform to perpetuate false antisemitic conspiracy theories and lift up the vehemently antisemitic Louis Farrakhan. He should apologize immediately and educate himself on why his comments are so harmful. https://t.co/5wkCjbQu8W
— Jonathan Greenblatt (@JGreenblattADL) July 13, 2020
The American Jewish Committee similarly tweeted, “.@NickCannon spreading anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about ‘Rothschilds’ and ‘Zionists’ to millions of his followers is abhorrent and unacceptable. His message of hate has no place in our society and should be condemned by all people of good conscience.”
.@NickCannon spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories about "Rothschilds" and "Zionists" to millions of his followers is abhorrent and unacceptable.
His message of hate has no place in our society and should be condemned by all people of good conscience.https://t.co/sv75j69ikR
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) July 13, 2020
Associate director and dean of Global Social Action Agenda at the Simon Wiesenthal Center Rabbi Abraham Cooper told Jewish Insider, “Anyone seeking a Ph.D in Jew-hatred should watch this ‘interview’ in its entirety. Farrakhan’s hateful screeds on full display in the next generation inculcating [the] 21st Century through cultural figures and social media. Pure poison.”
StandWithUs Israel executive director Michael Dickson asked about cancel culture and anti-Semitism in a tweet about Cannon. “I’m no fan of cancel culture, but if you get cancelled for doing something racist without intent, what happens next for @NickCannon who willfully spread the most egregious antisemitic conspiracy theories & hate on his show?” he wrote.
I'm no fan of cancel culture, but if you get cancelled for doing something racist without intent, what happens next for @NickCannon who willfully spread the most egregious antisemitic conspiracy theories & hate on his show? https://t.co/sgXFQ1xfoy @TMS_TV_USA @FOXTV @Power106LA
— Michael Dickson (@michaeldickson) July 13, 2020
Former New York Democratic Assemblyman Dov Hikind tweeted that his watchdog group, Americans Against Anti-Semitism, is calling on Fox “to take immediate action against @NickCannon for his nasty anti-Semitic diatribe.” Cannon hosts “The Masked Singer” on Fox.
“You cannot remove Farrakhan one week and allow his followers to spew the very same filth in the next without consequence!” Hikind added, referencing Fox Soul canceling its scheduled broadcast of Farrakhan’s July 4 address.
.@AmericansAA is calling on @FOXTV to take immediate action against @NickCannon for his nasty antisemitic diatribe.
You cannot remove Farrakhan one week and allow his followers to spew the very same filth in the next without consequence!#UnMaskedHater https://t.co/Xr7s3tqbtK
— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) July 13, 2020
Cannon also hosts the MTV show “Wild N’Out.”
UPDATE: Cannon issued a series of tweets stating that he has “no hate in my heart nor malice intentions. I do not condone hate speech nor the spread of hateful rhetoric.”
He added: “The Black and Jewish communities have both faced enormous hatred, oppression persecution and prejudice for thousands of years and in many ways have and will continue to work together to overcome these obstacles.”
Anyone who knows me knows that I have no hate in my heart nor malice intentions. I do not condone hate speech nor the spread of hateful rhetoric. We are living in a time when it is more important than ever to promote unity and understanding.
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020
The Black and Jewish communities have both faced enormous hatred, oppression persecution and prejudice for thousands of years and in many ways have and will continue to work together to overcome these obstacles.
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020
When you look at The Media, and other sectors in our nation’s history, African Americans and The people of the Jewish community have partnered to create some of the best, most revolutionary work we know today. (Cont.)
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020
I am an advocate for people’s voices to be heard openly, fairly and candidly. In today’s conversation about anti-racism and social justice, I think we all including myself must continue educating one another &embrace uncomfortable conversations it’s the only way we ALL get better
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020
I encourage more healthy dialogue and welcome any experts, clergy, or spokespersons to any of my platforms to hold me accountable and correct me in any statement that I’ve made that has been projected as negative. (Cont.)
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020
Until then, I hold myself accountable for this moment and take full responsibility because My intentions are only to show that as a beautiful human species we have way more commonalities than differences, So let’s embrace those as well as each other. We All Family!🙏🏾
— Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) July 13, 2020
