What, Exactly, Is Going on With Gabrielle Union and America’s Got Talent ?
Late last month, NBC’s America’s Got Talent announced it hadn’t renewed the contracts of its two new female judges: Gabrielle Union and Julianne Hough of Dancing with the Stars fame. That’s a Hollywood euphemism, of course, for: The women were fired.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there was (allegedly) more to the story: Variety subsequently reported that both Union and Hough had been subjected to “excessive notes on their physical appearance,” including “consistent criticism on hair, makeup, and wardrobe,” (a claim Hough, who will star in two upcoming specials for the network, denies). Union reportedly received racist comments about her hairstyles being “too black” for AGT. (Union declined to comment.)
Furthermore, according to Variety, when AGT guest star Jay Leno cracked a racist joke during filming—remarking that a photo of judge Simon Cowell surrounded by his dogs looked like something one would find “on the menu at a Korean restaurant”—Union urged producers to report it to human resources. There’s no record of an HR report, but the joke was cut from the episode. And, later, Union was cut from the show. Insert speculation about possible retaliation here.
In its initial statement, NBC said, “America’s Got Talent has a long history of inclusivity and diversity,” and added that “the judging and host line-up has been regularly refreshed over the years.”
But Union’s firing—and the reports of racism behind the scenes—is once again raising questions about the workplace culture at NBC. You know, the same network that came under fire for allegedly shielding Matt Lauer and killing Ronan Farrow’s Harvey Weinstein exposé. (NBC News continues to dispute Farrow’s reporting.) SAG-AFTRA, the on-air talent union, has launched an investigation into Union’s ouster. And on Tuesday, Time’s Up, the coalition of Hollywood women formed in the thick of the #MeToo movement, issued a petition in support of Union.
“For too long, NBCUniversal has enabled toxic workplaces by protecting the careers of powerful men like Matt Lauer at the expense of women who speak out and are silenced through non-disclosure agreements. Now, Gabrielle Union was allegedly fired for speaking up about racist and inappropriate behavior she encountered working on NBC’s America’s Got Talent,” it read. “It’s time for NBC to stop protecting powerful men at the expense of its workers and address its toxic workplace culture, once and for all.”
Former America’s Got Talent judge Sharon Osbourne hinted at that culture on The Talk on Monday, saying: “The crew and everybody was amazing to me, everybody, except the network.” Much of the same leadership that ruled over NBC during the Lauer and Weinstein scandals remains in place today, including NBCUniversal CEO Stephen Burke.
As support grows for Union, NBC saw fit to release a second statement on the matter on Monday (a surefire sign that the first had been inadequate). Now, instead of referencing casting “refreshes,” the network says it’s looking into Union’s treatment and firing: “We remain committed to ensuring a respectful workplace for all employees and take very seriously any questions about workplace culture,” the statement read. “We are working with Ms. Union through her representatives to hear more about her concerns, following which we will take whatever next steps may be appropriate.”
Originally Appeared on Vogue
