The controversy surrounding NBC’s America’s Got Talent continues to rumble on with host Terry Crews appearing to add fuel to the fire again.
After he defended the show as ‘the most diverse place’ he has worked, Gabrielle Union, who has claimed she experienced sexism and racism on set, seemed to accuse the actor of throwing her ‘under the bus’.
And on Monday, Crews kept the dispute going, tweeting: ‘”I’m a hog. You’re a chicken. Just ‘cuz you gave me eggs— Don’t mean I owe you bacon.” – Ancient Flint Michigan proverb.’
The controversy surrounding NBC’s America’s Got Talent continues to rumble on as Terry Crews posted cryptic tweets Monday in continued back and forth about Gabrielle Union
His tweet appeared to suggest that while Union publicly expressed support for him in 2017 when he claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a Hollywood executive, that didn’t mean he owed her
His tweet appeared to suggest that while Union had publicly expressed support for him in 2017 when he claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a Hollywood executive, that didn’t mean he owed her.
In a second tweet a couple of hours later, Crews wrote: ‘There is only one woman one earth I have to please. Her name is Rebecca.
‘Not my mother, my sister, my daughters or co-workers. I will let their husbands/ boyfriends/ partners take care of them.
‘Rebecca gives me WINGS.’
In a second tweet a couple of hours later, Crews wrote : ‘There is only one woman one earth I have to please. Her name is Rebecca’
The actor, 51, seemed to be clearly stating that any and all loyalty he feels is to his wife Rebecca, 54, whom he married in 1990. The couple are pictured in November
Crews took over from Tyra Banks as host of America’s Got Talent last year.
Banks left the series after two seasons, having replaced original host Nick Cannon.
Union joined the talent competition as a judge for its 14th season, which aired last year, along with former DWTS personality Julianne Hough. Neither were invited back for season 15.
The actress, 47, subsequently spoke out about experiencing racist comments and being told she was wearing her hair ‘too black’ for the AGT audience.
She also complained that judge-producer Cowell continuously smoked on the indoor set, Variety reported in November.
NBC has stated publicly that the network is taking Union’s complaints about troubling behavior on the set of AGT seriously and the network has spoken with Union as part of a formal investigation which is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month.
Crews and Union worked together on season 14 of AGT during which the actress subsequently claimed she had experienced sexism and racism on set of the Simon Cowell-created show
Union joined the talent competition as a judge for its 14th season, which aired last year, along with former DWTS personality Julianne Hough. Neither were invited back for season 15
Defense: Terry Crews weighed in on the controversy last Thursday during an appearance on Today, defending AGT as ‘the most diverse place’ he’s ever worked
Baring all: Her Tweet were a clear shot at the AGT’s host who spoke on the Today Show Thursday and said, ‘I have never been in a more diverse place in 20 years of entertainment’
Addressing Union’s claims on Today last Thursday, Crews said: ‘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.’
‘In fact, it was the most diverse place I have ever been in my 20 years of entertainment,’ Crews stated.
Union then tweeted: ‘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.’
Union made a point to support Crews in 2017, after he alleged that a ‘high level Hollywood executive’ had ‘groped [his] privates’ at a party, despite many of his colleagues remaining silent.
She tweeted at the time: ‘Terry Crews is a stand-up guy. Literally one of the nicest people in our industry. He is honest, kind & true professional. I believe him & stand by him. #MeToo.’
Spotlight: NBC’s entertainment chief Paul Telegdy recently said that the network takes the allegations about AGT very seriously. The investigation is set to be completed this month
Union and Hough had replaced longtime AGT judges Mel B and Heidi Klum who were on the show for six seasons from 2013 until 2019.
Klum has now returned as a judge for the season 2 of the spin-off America’s Got Talent: The Champions, joining newcomer Alesha Dixon, a British rapper and TV personality.
Klum, 46, recently clarified remarks she had made which seemed to defend America’s Got Talent against charges of racism.
‘My experience may not be the same as Gabrielle’s,’ she admitted in an interview with People published last Friday.
Saying her own experience has been ‘a positive one’, Klum explained: ‘I can only speak of my own truth, and by no means is that meant to negate or question Gabrielle’s truth.’
‘To me, everyone treats you with the utmost respect. I’ve never seen anything that was weird or hurtful,’ she added.
Heidi Klum, a judge on AGT for six seasons, has said she didn’t see anything ‘hurtful’ while working on the show. ‘My experience may not be the same as Gabrielle’s,’ she admitted in an interview with People published last Friday