Nick Cannon swears he’s not returning to “America’s Got Talent,” contract be damned, but what about his other NBC show?
The future of “Caught on Camera With Nick Cannon” is still undecided at the network level, TheWrap has learned. And even if the multi-hyphenate isn’t currently burning his bridge with NBC executives, the economics of more episodes may not work out.
That’s not necessarily because of how much third-year series “Caught on Camera” costs — any first-year Accounting major knows strong revenue can offset some bills. Unfortunately, the plug-and-play series has managed just a 0.7 Nielsen rating among adults 18-49 thus far this season, on average, and 3.2 million total viewers. Those soft numbers are inclusive of a week’s worth of delayed viewing, which means advertisers aren’t quite enamored with a 30-second sales opportunity on this one.
Cannon’s reps did not immediately reply to TheWrap’s question about Nick’s future commitment to that series. NBC had no comment on when we reached a spokesperson.
But we know that the network is still hopeful to retain Cannon’s services for “Talent,” which could change perspective on “Caught.” After all, “Talent” does draw the big bucks — and audiences.
Last summer, “AGT” averaged a 3.0 in 18-49 and 13.5 million for its Tuesday and Wednesday editions combined. That was the best performance by both metrics in television’s warmest season — and a bit more like it, right media buyers?
Cannon is contracted for the upcoming cycle of “AGT,” just like the show’s judges. It’s unlikely NBC would sue to keep the emcee, who has maintained that he’s completely through with TV’s primo talent show.
The “Wild ‘N Out” alum abruptly quit the summer job after he says NBC threatened to fire him over jokes he made during recent Showtime stand-up comedy special, “Stand Up, Don’t Shoot.” The network maintains that specific never conversation happened.
“I grew up like a real n—,” Cannon joked during the special. “But I honestly believe, once I started doing ‘America’s Got Talent,’ they took my real n— card. They did! Because then like these type of people started showing up to my shows.” Cannon then pointed to three white audience members sitting in the front row. “I can’t do the real n— stuff no more, because then they’ll put me on TMZ.”