Gabrielle Union Is Filing a Complaint Against the America’s Got Talent Producers for Discrimination
Update, August 6, 4 p.m.: According to TVLine, NBC Entertainment chairman Paul Telegdy is out just a week after the company began an investigation into alleged toxic behavior.
Gabrielle Union has filed a complaint against the producers of America’s Got Talent, the production arm of the show’s network, and creator Simon Cowell himself.
“When Gabrielle Union informed NBC of racially offensive conduct during the taping of America’s Got Talent, NBC did not ‘stand’ with her in ‘outrage at acts of racism,’” Union’s attorney Bryan Freedman said in a statement on June 4, according to journalist Yashar Ali and The Hollywood Reporter. “Instead, NBC did not care enough to either promptly investigate Ms. Union’s complaints or even ask HR to get involved. Rather, NBC stood against her and directed its ‘outrage’ at Ms. Union for whistleblowing about the racially offensive conduct she experienced while working for NBC on America’s Got Talent.”
Freedman continued, “In sharp contrast to NBC’s recent statement on race, what was truly an ‘outrage’ was the fact that Paul Telegdy, chairman of NBC Entertainment, actually threatened Ms. Union in an attempt to silence her from telling the truth about racist actions that took place on the show. There is no place for this type of racial bullying in the workplace, and it is going to take more than a tweet from NBC to demonstrate that NBC intends to create an environment free from racism.”
NBCUniversal issued this statement to Glamour: “The allegation that anyone involved in this process threatened Ms. Union is categorically untrue. We took Ms. Union’s concerns seriously, and engaged an outside investigator who found an overarching culture of diversity on the show. NBCUniversal remains committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment where people of all backgrounds are treated with respect.”
Union left her hosting position on the competition show back in November 2019 following just one season. Fellow judge Julianne Hough was also denied a contract renewal. At the time, as reports surfaced that Union had reported a toxic culture and racist incidents on set, NBC and production company Fremantle released the following statement, according to Variety: “America’s Got Talent has a long history of inclusivity and diversity in both our talent and the acts championed by the show. The judging and host lineup has been regularly refreshed over the years and that is one of the reasons for AGT’s enduring popularity. NBC and the producers take any issues on set seriously.”
On May 27, Union spoke to Variety about what she called the “toxic work environment.” She detailed one incident in which former Tonight Show host Jay Leno made a “joke” that a painting of Cowell and his dogs looked like something found on the menu at a Korean restaurant. The remark was later edited out. “My first big interview in this industry, the first person who allowed me to come on their talk show, was Jay Leno,” Union said. “I’ve always held him in high regard, but I was not prepared for his joke. I gasped. I froze. Other things had already happened, but at this point, it was so wildly racist.”
In another incident, a white male performer put on black gloves to represent a Black performer. Union told Variety that the fact this was not immediately halted was concerning. “I’m a part of a show that hired one of my coworkers who had an unfortunate incident doing blackface,” she said, referencing the time Hough was photographed at a Halloween party with darkened skin to imitate actor Uzo Aduba of Orange Is the New Black. “I’d like to trust her at her word that she learned her lesson, and has educated herself amid the consequences she faced and is hopefully a better person. But you would think that perhaps the show and NBC might be more conscientious in exposing that, and it would be taken seriously. I took it seriously.”
“At the end of all this,” Union said, “my goal is real change—and not just on this show but for the larger parent company. It starts from the top down. My goal is to create the happiest, most high-functioning, inclusive, protected ,and healthy example of a workplace.”
NBC, Freemantle, and Syco shared this joint statement in response to Union’s Variety interview:
"We have a shared passion to make America’s Got Talent a positive, inclusive and diverse show that is open to all individuals from any country or background. We are proud and grateful that our contestants and audiences support our ongoing mission, which is represented in the incredible people who participate in the show each year. We have heard from contestants and talent alike that their experience on AGT has had a positive impact on their lives. When we heard Ms. Union had concerns about her time on the show, we took them extremely seriously. NBC, Fremantle and Syco immediately engaged an outside investigator who conducted more than 30 interviews to review the issues raised by Ms. Union. While the investigation has demonstrated an overall culture of diversity, it has also highlighted some areas in which reporting processes could be improved. Through the investigation process, it has been revealed that no one associated with the show made any insensitive or derogatory remarks about Ms. Union’s appearance, and that neither race nor gender was a contributing factor in the advancement or elimination of contestants at any time. The investigation has shown that the concerns raised by Ms. Union had no bearing on the decision not to exercise the option on her contract. NBC, Fremantle and Syco share Ms. Union’s dedication to diversity and inclusion in the industry. We continue to remain committed to having an inclusive environment for everyone associated with the show, and to upholding AGT as one of the most diverse programs on television."
Originally Appeared on Glamour
