Amid an ongoing investigation at “America’s Got Talent” following the ousting of judge Gabrielle Union, “AGT” host Terry Crews says he’s “never” experienced racism at the NBC competition.
“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,” Crews said during an interview on the “Today” show Thursday, which you can view via the video above. “That was never my experience on ‘America’s Got Talent’… 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.”
The “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star added: “Now I have to say this too. When you look at what the allegations were about, it was given by an unnamed source. My thing is — you know, it’s funny, because I believe you should listen to women, you should always believe women, so I asked my wife what I should do. 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–”
Crews was interrupted by “The 3rd Hour of Today” hosts and asked if he had spoken to Union amid the controversy to which he responded, “I have not. I haven’t reached out, but I haven’t heard anything.”
He then said that his wife told him, “Well if she hasn’t made a statement, why would you?”
During NBC’s day at the Television Critics Association press tour on Jan. 11, NBC boss Paul Telegdy told reporters that the network’s ongoing investigation into Union’s contentious departure as a judge on “AGT” should wrap up by the end of the month.
“We’re very confident if we learn something… we’ll put new practices in place, if necessary, and we certainly take anyone’s critique of what it means to come to work here, incredibly seriously,” the executive said.
Union’s exit was accompanied by multiple news reports describing behind-the-scenes clashes between her and the show’s producers over what was described as a “toxic” workplace culture. Former “AGT” judges Howard Stern and Sharon Osbourne have since spoken out against the “boys’ club” environment on the show, which they said was facilitated by executive producer-turned-judge Simon Cowell.
For her part, former “AGT” judge and current “AGT: Champions” judge Heidi Klum told reporters — also during TCA, but on Amazon’s day — that her experience on the show was nothing short of “amazing.”
“I didn’t experience the same thing,” she said, following a panel to promote her new Prime Video fashion series with Tim Gunn, “Making the Cut.” “To me, everyone treats you with utmost respect.”