Nick Cannon Leaving 'America's Got Talent' Over 'Moral Principles' After Onstage Joke

Following scrutiny around his new Showtime comedy special Stand Up, Don't Shoot, Nick Cannon has taken to social media to announce that he plans on parting ways with NBC's America's Got Talent after eight consecutive seasons as host.

The crux of the controversy came with this joke (via Decider): “I grew up like a real n----. All that stuff. But I honestly believe, once I started doing America’s Got Talent, they took my Real N---a card. They did! Because then like these type of people started showing up to my shows," he said, pointing to white audience members in front row. “I can’t do the real n---a stuff no more, because then they’ll put me on TMZ.”

Cannon said that for the time he was onstage, NBC would be known as N---a Better Come On, "'cause n----s be cussing, so n----s be careful!” He also brought up his choice to wear a turban on the Season 11 finale in 2016. "We got all type of calls and complaints and shit like that."