Simon Cowell and and America’s Got Talent are neck deep in hot water right now. Earlier this week, Variety dropped bombshell news that Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough were fired from AGT for being “difficult.” Gabrielle, in particular, had a beef with former Tonight Show host Jay Leno, who served as a guest judge during the Judge Cuts round. When he dropped a controversial joke stereotyping Asians, she wanted to go to Human Resources, but higher ups did not take her seriously.
If y’all thought that Variety report was problematic, now New York Magazine has more sordid reports from backstage America’s Got Talent sources:
- Two months into her tenure as judge, Gabrielle had a tense meeting with Simon. He asked her to bring ANY problems or issues with him directly. Don’t talk to NBC, he said. The directive had Gabrielle wondering if he was attempting to cover up major issues.
- Gabrielle learned last Friday (Nov 22) that Simon and NBC fired her. She and Julianne signed 3 year contracts. A source says Simon and his team of producers fired because they found her to be too “difficult.”
- Simon smoked in his dressing room. The Pasadena theater where they film AGT had makeshift dressing rooms made of pipes and fabric. Gabrielle is allergic to cigarette smoke. When she asked staff members to request Simon stop smoking inside, they claimed they tried in the past to get him to stop smoking inside, but to no avail. Even a visit from the fire marshall didn’t help (It’s illegal to smoke in enclosed public workspaces in California).
- Simon has total control over the show. The network makes no decisions without his approval.
- Gabrielle complained after an Italian contestant slipped on black gloves to impersonate Beyonce. She called them “blackface hands.” She voted to eliminate the contestant. The segment never aired.
- Gabrielle annoyed producers when she asked drag performers which pronouns they preferred.
- Tensions hit an “irrevocable high” over 10 year old black rapper, Dylan Gilmer. In a production meeting for the Judge Cuts 1 episode, producers told Gabrielle that she needed to pick an artist that “America can get behind.” Producers preferred the Emerald Belles, a white dance troupe from Texas. Gabrielle was frustrated. She felt the producers were implying that the audience wouldn’t back a 10 year old black rapper, a notion she found racist. Also, she felt that the studio audience clearly prefered Dylan. Producers decided to eliminate the young rapper anyway. Gabrielle was so angry, she went outside to get fresh air. She returned 5 minutes later to an angry Simon. He said if it was that important to her, he’d save Dylan. But he delivered the message in a “hostile and aggressive manner.” Gabrielle had enough. (In the episode, it was Julianne and Howie Mandel who expressed skepticism over the Belles, while Gabrielle said they were worth fighting for.)
- The situation was so tense, Simon and his agents at CAA, who also represent Gabrielle, pushed for a private meeting. She and her manager met Simon at his home last May.
- Gabrielle is now exploring her legal options against the network according to sources close to her.
Both former judges received a ton of critiques on how they dressed and looked. According to Variety sources, Producers gave Gabrielle many notes on her appearance, specifically about her rotating hair styles being “too black” for the audience of AGT. Sources Julianne felt demoralized by the critques. But she subsequently released a statement to Variety that stated she had a “wonderful time on America’s Got Talent” and that she enjoyed working with the cast. She also thanked thanked the network–It’s worth noting that the singer/dancer still has a relationship with NBC. She’s been in show business since she was a kid, and has likely grown accustomed to brushing off slights.
But not Gabrielle–not only is she a formidable actress, entertainer and producer. She’s going to stand up for herself and her community. On Twitter, Gabrielle thanked her fans. “So many tears, so much gratitude. THANK YOU!,” wrote Gabrielle. “Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone… you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever”
So many tears, so much gratitude. THANK YOU! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone… you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever ?
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) November 28, 2019
Gabrielle’s husband, former NBA player Dwyane Wade, who also appeared as a guest judge during the Judge Cuts, defended Gabrielle on Twitter: “So when i got the news that my wife was being fired—my first question was obviously why!?” Dwyane wrote. “I am still waiting on a good answer to that question. But if anyone knows @itsgabrielleu or have heard of her you know she’s an advocate for our community and culture.” Dwyane added, “As proud as i were of her being selected as a judge on #AGT— I am even more proud of her standing up for what she stands for and that’s US. So to you @itsgabrielleu on not losing sight of the lessons we’ve talked about teaching our daughter and for kicking a** while you were on that platform. Number 1 judge on one of the biggest shows in the world??”
“Men lie, Women lie, numbers don’t” Over this past year I’ve been approached by many people saying that my wife @itsgabrielleu is the main reason they’ve started watching #AGT or that they love her insight and sincerity on the show.
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) November 27, 2019
So when i got the news that my wife was being fired—my first question was obviously why!? Iam still waiting on a good answer to that question. But if anyone knows @itsgabrielleu or have heard of her you know she’s an advocate for our community and culture.
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) November 27, 2019
As proud as i were of her being selected as a judge on #AGT— Iam even more proud of her standing up for what she stands for and that’s US.
— DWade (@DwyaneWade) November 27, 2019
