Terry Crews Says NO RACISM on America’s Got Talent
America’s Got Talent host and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Terry Crews joined the third hour of Today on Thursday (Jan 23) to discuss the current season of America’s Got Talent: The Champions. Of course, the hosts also asked him about recent claims by Gabrielle Union of a toxic work environment at the competition series.
Producers fired both Gabrielle and Julianne Hough from the America’s Got Talent judges panel last fall, after only one season on the show. Rumors began swirling that the set environment was racist, sexist and toxic. Eventually, NBC stepped in to announce an investigation into the allegations, promising to “make changes if necessary.”
Terry told the Today show hosts that he saw no racism on the AGT set, whatsoever.
“First of all, I can’t speak for sexism, because I’m not a woman. But I can speak on behalf of any racism comments. That was never my experience on America’s Got Talent,” Terry goes on to passionately defend the show, “In fact, it was the most diverse place I have ever been in my 20 years of entertainment.” Terry continued, “The Top 10 acts were Asian, women, older younger, black, white. It was everything in the gammet.”
Terry is sceptical of allegations and reports “given by an unnamed source.”
“Gabrielle Union has not made any statement to this day about any of these allegations publically,” Terry insisted. Fair enough, but she has not denied them, either. Eventually, Gabrielle publicly confirmed she had issues. She revealed that she and NBC had a “lengthy 5-hour” that she considered “productive.” Gabrielle wrote on Twitter that she was “able to, again, express my unfiltered truth. I led with transparency and my desire and hope for real change.”
So, it’s disingenuous for Terry to pull the “Gabrielle never explicitly stated the allegations out loud” card. I understand that he’d rather stay the heck out of a mess, fraught with landmines. But evidence says the reports are essentially true.
Terry asked his wife what he should do. “If [Gabrielle] hasn’t made a statement,” his wife suggested, “why would you?” Terry said, “I’m going to listen to her.”
Watch the full interview below. Terry also chatted about why he loves hosting the show and what he believes makes America’s Got Talent so special.
UPDATE! WHOO BOYYYYY GABRIELLE IS HAVING NONE OF IT. SHE MAD!
In a series of tweets, she responds to Terry’s disingenuous remarks, basically calling Terry Crews a liar. I mean, she tweets, “Why anyone would gleefully get up on TV and tell lies that NO ONE disputed… But we already know.”
Thank u! Cuz girlllllll ? Truth telling, wanting change & having MULTIPLE witnesses who bravely came forward to let EVERYONE know I didn't lie or exaggerate, really exposes those who enthusiastically will throw you under the bus, forgetting quickly who stepped up 4 THEIR truth. https://t.co/X1uooWTpmK
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) January 24, 2020
Why anyone would gleefully get up on TV and tell lies that NO ONE disputed… But we already know. https://t.co/8MAfmzSgmI
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) January 24, 2020
Can someone please ask abt what happens to all that diversity folks are talking about BEHIND THE SCENES. Like, legit… where the hell is all that diversity in the production though homie? In the decision making ranks who control the fate of the diversity in front of the camera?
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) January 24, 2020
Maaaaaan… We all agreed to let the investigation be completed before speaking but if we doing this… ohhhhh baby let's gooooooooooo!
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) January 24, 2020
Let's also talk about where the diversity is in the hair & makeup dept for contestants that DOES NOT reflect all that diversity that hits the stage. Let's Google the exec's that run the show & ask follow up ?? about THAT egregious lack of diversity. Let's discuss the facts https://t.co/w40qrBDac1
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) January 24, 2020
It’s ironic that Terry claimed in the Today interview that he always believes women, while at the same time, refusing to acknowledge what was maybe not EXPLICITLY spelled out, but made known by Gabrielle all the same. When NBC asked him his opinion on the controversy, he should have said “NO COMMENT.” But then again, the line of questioning was probably a set up. Terry comes on TV to essentially undercut Gabrielle’s criticism of the network. Hm.
