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Nick Cannon is going to be the new host of America’s Got Talent, taking over from Jerry Springer, who took over from Regis Philbin. It’s his return to television since Nickelodeon’s All That, and since his major life events like marrying Mariah Carrey and hanging with Obama on inauguration night. Showing up in a Phineas Cole suite with ETEN accessories showed he has style as well as talent.
Crave Online: How do you follow in the footsteps of Regis Philbin and Jerry Springer?
Nick Cannon: Those are some big footsteps to follow. I can’t really follow in those. My thing is like those guys, I kind of admired them from afar anyway, but my thing is about bringing that young swagger, that unpredictable, you never know what’s going to happen, type of personality. So I’m not sure if they did that, but it’s just like me, I’m bringing my ADD and my ADD generation all the way to this show. I would say I have a unique background in the sense that I've done standup comedy for over 15 years. I've been in entertainment pretty much all my life and then now even having the opportunity in the last few years to be on the production side and behind the scenes and kind of in the more corporate world of entertainment, I kind of bring a different perspective of all the different angles. But then at the same time, I was still that kid who was 8 years old at talent shows. When that young man or woman walks up or when this family walks up, I know exactly what they're going through. I know everything that they're feeling. I know the butterflies in the stomach. I know the tingling on the back of the neck before they step out on that stage. I know the excitement of this possibly being the biggest crowd that they've ever performed in front of, but then, at the same time, that fear of, like, making sure you're going to hit all the right notes and performing in front of celebrities. So I almost come with the empathy of saying, "Just go out there, have a good time. Do your best." And regardless of what happens when they come off the stage, I share that experience with them as well because I've been there. I've been through the ups and downs. I've been out on a stage and bombed in front of thousands. I've been out on a stage and had a standing ovation. So I know exactly what that feeling feels like, so to be able to share that with each and every person that steps on that stage is something quite different.
Crave Online: What was the decision to move back into TV?
Nick Cannon: You know, I’ve been producing television for the last five or six years. That’s kind of where I started, but just because I’m in television actually hasn’t - - I think I’m just broadening. I still have two films that are coming out this year. I still have an album that’s coming out later this year but I just feel like because I’m the chairman of teen Nick now, I’m connecting with that young audience in a different way. I have a radio show that I’m doing with Clear Channel that’s a syndicated radio show, so this is the place in my career where I also get to connect directly with the people because I think a lot of times, when you do things like acting or music and stuff, they get to appreciate your art form but they don’t really get a chance to see who you are. When you’re a good host, you get the opportunity to share who you are and people get to say, “Wow, I really like him.” Not “I like that song” or “I like that movie.” It’s like, “Oh, I like Nick.” So I think this’ll probably give me that opportunity.
Crave Online: What’s going to be special about this season of America’s Got Talent?
Nick Cannon: Because I'm the freshman, obviously, and I'm one of the things that's new about this season, it's me and HD. So those two things are actually exciting. I got ADHD, and we're in HD. I'm just kind of bringing that same type of energy. It's one of those things where I love to have a good time. And I feel like this show is all about a good time. So it's kind of like a perfect match. I've been a fan of the show, so I think my perspective is almost like truly as a fan. Like I'm rooting for everybody who is on the show, all the contestants. I'm given that type of commentary of the things that people at home would say, getting emotional when it's time to get emotional and really just enjoying the entire experience and the journey that America's Got Talent actually is.
