NBC/Trae Patton(NEW YORK) — America’s Got Talent host Terry Crews apparently had a very different experience on the set of NBC’s variety series.
Amid the network’s investigation into Gabrielle Union’s departure from the show following claims of a toxic culture, Crews tells NBC’s Today that he begs to differ.
“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,” he said. “In fact, it was the most diverse place I have ever been in my 20 years of entertainment.”
“The Top 10 acts were Asian, women, older, younger, black, white, it was everything in the gamut,” he continued, defending the shows’ diversity.
Crews went on to say that he even sought out the advice of his wife, actress Rebecca King-Crews, and her thoughts on what she should do in the wake of Union’s claims.
“She was like, ‘first of all, if it’s coming from an unnamed source – because Gabrielle Union has not made any statement to this day about any of these allegations publicly …if she hasn’t made a statement, why would you?'”
When asked if he’s spoken to Union, beyond his tweet in December where he told Union she “will be missed,” Crews replied, “I haven’t reached out, but I haven’t heard anything,” he said.
As previously reported, Union was fired from America’s Got Talent following her reported complaints about the allegedly racially insensitive work environment on set. Following the immense backlash about her firing, Union confirmed that she met with NBC to discuss her complaints and “express [her] unfiltered truth.”
Crews, Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel are all expected to return to AGT for its next season.
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