Deadline has learned that Nick Cannon and ViacomCBS have mended their relationship, and will move forward with production on the upcoming season of the hit VH1 show Wild ‘N Out.
ViacomCBS immediately severed ties with Cannon after he essentially dismissed the white Jewish identity and the idea that they could be subjected to anti-Semitism on his podcast Cannon’s Class last year. Cannon apologized for his comments soon after, and vowed to reflect and “establish an action plan towards real, impactful change and advocacy aimed at bringing people together” in his time away from his radio gig.
During his hiatus, Cannon welcomed Rabbi Abraham Cooper to his podcast where the two spoke for nearly two hours about why his assertions were not only incorrect but also dangerous. Cannon’s determination to seek out sometimes uncomfortable discussions in order to learn from his mistakes was being noticed by the people over at ViacomCBS.
In a town hall meeting with employees, Chris McCarthy, president of entertainment and youth brands at ViacomCBS, wouldn’t rule out the possibility of working things out with the TV personality. “I am hopeful we find a way to bring these two things together and hopefully we will have the opportunity to do that with Nick again,” McCarthy said.
The reunion with ViacomCBS comes just days after FOX and Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury announced that Cannon’s daytime talk show is slated to come out this fall after being postponed last year in response to his controversial remarks. Even as his professional career appears to be back on the upswing, Cannon issued a statement Thursday acknowledging that he’s still in the early stages of learning from his past mistakes, but promised to continue to work towards improving and growing as a person.
“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,” Cannon said.
Wild ‘N Out received a three-season order from ViacomCBS prior to his remarks.
