Nick Cannon vs. NBC’s ‘America’s Got Talent': ‘I Will Not Be Silenced’

Nick Cannon has confirmed that he’s leaving NBC’s popular variety series, America’s Got Talent. On Monday (Feb. 13), the entertainer posted a letter on his Facebook page explaining why he’s departing from the program.

In his missive, Cannon says he was "deeply saddened" about being "threatened with termination by executives" after he made a racial joke about NBC on his recent Showtime stand-up special, Stand Up, Don’t Shoot.

"I was to be punished for a joke ... My soul won't allow me to be in business with corporations that attempt to frown on freedom of speech, censor artists, and question cultural choices. Not to get too detailed but this isn't the first time executives have attempted to 'put me in my place' for so-called unruly actions," he wrote. "I will not stand for it. My moral principles will easily walk away from the millions of dollars they hang over my head."

On his stand-up special, Cannon is quoted as saying that NBC stood for "N---- Better Come on" and felt that he was being constrained to appeal to a white, mainstream audience.

"I honestly believe, once I started doing America’s Got Talent, they took my real N---- card. They did! Because then like these type of people started showing up to my shows,” he said.

Apparently, executives at NBC were feeling some type of way about his comments. The network has issued no statement regarding Nick Cannon's exit from America's Got Talent.