America’s Got Talent faces complaints from Gabrielle Union, Time’s Up, and numerous celebrities, following Union’s controversial exit from the show. Set in the same contestant showcase vein as American Idol and The Voice, America’s Got Talent has featured a slew of celebrities on the judge's panel including Neil Patrick Harris, Reba McEntire, Sharon Osbourne, Laverne Cox, Jay Leno, Heidi Klum, and more.
Created by Simon Cowell, the talent competition series has been a hit for NBC since its debut in 2006. Featuring a vast range of unique skills, America’s Got Talent acts range from singing and dancing to magic, stunts, variety, and more. Dubbed a launching platform for the careers of featured artists, the unscripted program also spawned the spin-off competition, America’s Got Talent: The Champions. Released at the beginning of this year, The Champions announced Bring It On star Union and Julianne Hough would replace the judge’s spots vacated by Mel B and Klum. Last week, it was revealed Union and Hough would not return for season 2. Union’s release was met with a public uproar, as the news arrived on the heels of Union reportedly voicing concerns about a racist and sexist culture at the show.
During her one-year tenure on America's Got Talent, Union came forward to NBC executives to address a series of alleged complaints, including Cowell’s indoor smoking habit, Leno’s racist joke against Asian culture, racially-charged inappropriate remarks about her hair, and more. As reported to Variety, Union’s protest against America’s Got Talent has been met with support from Union’s fans, the women's’ advocacy group Time’s Up, and notable celebrities. Thus far, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ellen Pompeo, Debra Messing, Ariana Grande, and Patricia Arquette have all expressed that America’s Got Talent toting a toxic culture is intolerable and requires an investigation. Padding social media with messages of encouragement, celebrities behind Union have said her allegations are part of a larger culture issue at NBC. Grey’s Anatomy star Pompeo took to Twitter to support Union and demand change from the network. Check out Pompeo’s post below:
Union spoke out to express her gratitude stating, “So many tears, so much gratitude. Thank you! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone...you got me up off the ground.” NBC and America’s Got Talent producers have stated the show promotes diversity and any issues are set on taken seriously. As of this writing, an official investigation of Union’s complaints against America’s Got Talent has not yet been declared. America’s Got Talent: The Champions season 2 is expected to premiere in January 2020 with the judges' panel helmed by Cowell, Mandel, Klum, and Alesha Dixon.
Since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement, many allegations have come to light regarding various instances of sexual harassment, racial discrimination, and emotional abuse in the entertainment industry and beyond. It’s allowed victims the opportunity to share their stories and seek justice, but the problem has hardly been fixed. It will be interesting to see how NBC will officially address Union's complaints and how the controversy will affect season 2 of America's Got Talent: The Champions.
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