‘So Many Tears, So Much Gratitude’ - Gabrielle Union Posts Cryptic Message After ‘AGT’ Firing
Nov. 28 2019, Published 1:59 p.m. ET
Gabrielle Union broke her silence after she was fired from America’s Got Talent, posting a cryptic message amid the shocking scandal.
“So many tears, so much gratitude,” she wrote to her 4.1 million Twitter followers after her husband slammed the decision to fire her from ‘AGT.’
“THANK YOU! Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone…you got me up off the ground. Humbled and thankful, forever,” she wrote.
Union, 47, and Julianne Hough, 31, were both fired from AGT while Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel both kept their jobs.
Dwayne Wade slammed the show that booted his beautiful bride.
“‘Men lie, Women lie, numbers don’t’ Over this past year I’ve been approached by many people saying that my wife @itsgabrielleu is the main reason they’ve started watching #AGT or that they love her insight and sincerity on the show,” he began his rant.
“So when i got the news that my wife was being fired—my first question was obviously why!? I am still waiting on a good answer to that question. But if anyone knows @itsgabrielleu or have heard of her you know she’s an advocate for our community and culture.”
“As proud as i were of her being selected as a judge on #AGT— I am even more proud of her standing up for what she stands for and that’s US,” Wade added. “So cheers to you @itsgabrielleu on not losing sight of the lessons we’ve talked about teaching our daughter and for kicking a** while you were on that platform. Number 1 judge on one of the biggest shows in the world."
Since the news broke of her firing, multiple reports have claimed that NBC fired Union after she complained about the show.
Vulture.com reported that two months into her job on AGT, Union had a “tense” meeting with Cowell where he asked her to come directly to him if she had any problems with the show, and not go to NBC.
“Union did have concerns, and she had brought them up regularly ever since she joined the show in February; they included perceived racist incidents, Cowell’s habit of smoking indoors, and attempts to keep the show from misgendering contestants, according to multiple sources involved in the production of America’s Got Talent,” Vulture.com reported.
“Union had been addressing her complaints largely with NBC executives, including those who oversaw the show. They would respond by saying they would look into her concerns, and then, according to sources, nothing would happen.”
According to the report, “Union was informed by NBC that they were letting her go after one season of judging the competition show, which multiple sources allege was because she was perceived as ‘difficult’ by Cowell and his team of producers.”
NBC released a statement saying: “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 line-up 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.”
Union reportedly complained that Cowell would smoke inside the building and since the dressing rooms were just curtained off and not enclosed rooms the smoke would permeate the air around her.
“Sources say Union was told by an NBC executive and production staff on the program that no one could stop Cowell from smoking and that previous attempts by a fire marshal and NBC executives had been unsuccessful,” Vulture reported.
She also reportedly complained after Jay Leno allegedly made a joke about a painting of Cowell surrounded by dogs, with the comedian quipping that it “looked like something on the menu at a Korean restaurant.” Union pushed for the footage not to be aired.
Union also reportedly was told that she needed to pick and act “that American can get behind,” and not the 10-year-0ld black rapper named Dylan Gilmer, according to Vulture.