Nick Cannon Talks Business, Baby Rumors & Being Mr. Carey
June 8, 2010 3 CommentsGo ahead. Nick Cannon dares you to bet against him. After all, he’s used to being the underdog. There were the naysayers who claimed that he would become another washed up child star after blowing up as a tween sensation on the long-running Nickelodeon staple All That and its successful spin-off The Nick Cannon Show. A year later, he went on to appear in the 2003 sleeper hit Drumline, a film that took in an impressive $56 million in the U.S. When those same detractors called his cinema triumph a fluke, he went back to his comedic television roots and produced MTV’s improvisational Wild ‘N Out, a hit show that ran for four years.
Even when it comes to Cannon’s private life, scrutiny surrounds him. Is his marriage to the nearly decade older legendary pop diva Mariah Carey a farce; a boy toy romp? Are they really expecting twins as the tabloid machine suggest? The 29-year-old Cannon, who in September of 2009 was named chairman of the popular cable network TeenNick, has a lot to say on a diverse range of questions. And his answers will undoubtedly surprise you.—Keith Murphy
VIBE: So I guess congratulations are in order. We heard the news that you and Mariah are expecting. Care to give VIBE an exclusive?
Nick Cannon: Here’s the thing. It would be news to me [Laughs]. I think the media just takes things and kind of runs with it in a premature manner. One day when it happens, it will definitely be a blessing. But with this one, the media has jumped the gun.
So you guys are definitely not expecting twins?
No, unless I get a phone call or something telling me otherwise [Laughs].
All the pregnancy news has kind of been propelled by Mariah recently dropping out of Tyler Perry’s upcoming film For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf. What was her motive for leaving the production?
She definitely loves Tyler Perry and loves the movie. I think it was just a timing issue. I think the statement they put out there was it was best for her to step away from it right now due to a bunch of other projects she’s working on.
Late last year you were named Chairman of the cable network TeenNick. Are we talking about a 9-to-5 gig with your own corner office and sweet parking space?
It’s definitely a real day-to-day job. I’m actually on my way up there now. I’m running a development process and we are about to do a lot of interesting stuff that has never really been done before. I’ve actually built an online think-tank where I’m using ideas that we’re developing as well user-generated ideas—like different concepts for shows. And then I’m allowing everybody online to critique the ideas. It allows the audience to be part of the process of the shows. As the chairman, I want to involve young people in the making of television programming. I want to reveal what’s behind the velvet rope of what goes on during the creation of programming.
This is also my second year going into the award show that I created called the Halo Awards, which honors ordinary teens doing extraordinary things. Instead of giving the celebrities awards we have the celebrities giving the awards to the young people; we are coming up on the second year of that. And I also just created a show called The Nightlife, which is really a teen nightclub show, but it has the same vibe that American Bandstand and Soul Train did as well as a TRL-like taste-making destination feel. Right now, we have everybody from the New Boyz to Sean Kingston to Aaron Fresh performing. A bunch of young and hot up-and-coming people are going to be on the show.
You’re one of the last African-American former child stars that have been able to translate your success into your young adult years. Why do you think it’s so hard for those young Black Hollywood talents to get the chances you received?
It’s just tough out there, man. It’s so competitive and obviously this industry was not really designed for us. When it comes to young Black actors or entertainers, the industry usually gives us one shot and if we don’t succeed and knock it out of the park then they are on to the next one. There’s other cats of other races that kind of fit the mold of what has been in Hollywood for a long time, they’ll give them five or six times to fail. That’s the normal criteria, but when it’s one of us it’s something rare. We are not the safest bet usually; that’s why you have to think outside the box. You have to come from different angles. That’s why I never solely relied on my acting or my music. I was always behind-the-scenes.
Are you still interested in working in movies given your success with Drumline?
Absolutely. I do movies for the love. But frankly I don’t really need it, so I’m only going to do the stuff that really means a lot to me. There are a couple of projects coming up very soon that I’ve been attached to for a while. We are just putting them together. A lot of people don’t understand that when you develop a movie from scratch, it usually takes five years for it to actually come to fruition.
You have to have some of the thickest skin in the business. What do you think of when you hear some of the blogs and tabloids refer to you as Mr. Carey?
Well, luckily I’m also a comedian at heart. I was blessed with the biggest sense of humor ever, so it’s extremely hard to hurt my feelings. If you look at one of the shows I created, Wild ‘N Out, people said everything under the sun about me and I just laughed it off. But the one thing that’s a soft spot for me is when people disrespect my wife because that’s just off limits. As a husband, it’s my duty to step up and say something when anybody goes that route. But you can say whatever you want to say about me. You can call me Mr. Carey, a boy toy, an umbrella holder [laughs]; all that stuff is hilarious to me. But strength does come with a lot of it. To be able to be married to one of the most famous and powerful women in entertainment you know that there are some positions that have to be played.
So who wears the pants?
There are certain areas for both of us. I never try to step in her spotlight. When it’s Mariah time I’m rocking, but at the same time I stand my ground. I know what our relationship is at home, which is totally different.
I find your marriage very interesting. It seems like a lot of the mainstream media doesn’t look at you two as a Black married couple, given Mariah’s bi-racial background. Why do you think a lot of people don’t view you in that light?
If you got the chance to kick it with us on a day-to-day basis we are definitely a Black couple. We are the epitome of that. For so long Mariah’s persona had been protected and manipulated where people didn’t even speak on her ethnicity. But true at heart, she’s a sister all the way. She holds me down the same way that any black woman would. She’ll cuss you out in a second [Laughs]. She’s in the kitchen cooking.
Come on, dog. Mariah cooks?
Yeah! She goes in. Everything from breakfast to fried chicken. But you wouldn’t really know that because the machine presents an artist, whether it’s to sell more records or get a bigger audience, in a certain way. They make the situation when it comes to race as generic as possible. But we know who we really are; we represent each other and our cultures extremely well.
How long did it take you to get used to the brighter spotlight of the tabloid world?
It unnerves you to a point. But I’m a very outspoken person and my wife is private. And I respect my wife’s privacy. And at the end of the day, as I said before, I’m a comedian that says anything that comes to my damn mind. And sometimes I have to remember that I’m not just speaking for myself anymore. I have to be a little cognitive of that. But other than that, the [tabloid press] doesn’t bother me that much.
You mentioned the show Wild ‘N Out, which went on to become a huge hit for MTV. Are there plans to bring it back?
Yes. We are actually revamping it and bringing Wild ‘N Out back just because of the strong demand for it. I was kind of ready to leave it behind, but I sat down with the people at MTV, and because the re-runs do so well for the network, people wanted them to bring it back. We are looking to re-launch it at the top of next year.
You’ve gotten jokes and praise for your music career. Are we going to see you pick up a mic and transform into MC Nick again?
[Laughs] Yeah. But people need to know before I was an artist, I was a producer. I have my own label Ncredible Entertainment and I have three acts signed to Def Jam that are currently out right now. We have Aaron Fresh, the School Gyrls, which is more of a pop act, and I have an R&B act on Def Jam called RydazNRtist. And actually, I had said I wasn’t going to get on the mic anymore, but they have a record called “Sorry Ass Apology” and we produced the remix, so I had come out of my shell for a little bit and do my alter ego. I address a couple of things that have been lurking out there. You will hear that literally in a next couple of days. We shot a video for it and everything. I’m going to give Vibe.com the exclusive.
You were one of the first celebrities to utilize Twitter to connect with your fans. Talk about the importance of having that kind of access with your followers?
It’s huge being able to have that connection with the fans. That’s the same reason why I do my morning radio show. I love the intimate connection to the people. Just being able to talk to them and see how they feel as far as what’s going on with me positively or negatively, it just gives me a great gauge on what’s going on in the street. I’m all about that. People see that I’m a real dude at the end of the day. I’m not on some celebrity stuff. I’m going to keep it 100 with you.
How do you balance being an adult and still being associated with that teen market?
I always say that instead of me being a role model, I’m a real model. A role is something that you play and real is what I try to be. I’m going to do some things that some people are not going to agree with and some things that people are going to look up to. I just ask for people to respect and appreciate the fact that I’m being a real dude that’s about to be 30-year-old.
Wow, 30, huh? That’s a milestone. Are you already planning that big bash?
Oh, I have to figure it out. I have to do it big for the 30. Soon as the summer is over that’s when I’ll probably start thinking about how big I’m going to do it.
All, come on…you know Mariah is planning something fabulous for you right now.
[Laughs] Yeah, but that’s the thing. Do I really want to do the hoopla, crazy thing? Or do I want to go chill on an island somewhere. I’m just figuring it out.
Source: VIBE.com
This was a great interview. Great questions that weren't solely centered around his marriage. He's a great husband to Mariah and he's a great business man. I can't wait to see some of the shows he's coming up with. And whatever he does for his 30th bday will be big, even if its just chilling on a island.
Very impressive. I agree, the interviewer did not focus too much on his marriage to Mariah and asked very good questions. I am looking forward to his many new projects and my son enjoys watching the TeenNick channel. I have always thought that Nick was a "real model" for our youth. He also is a good husband who is not afraid to protect his wife and show his love for her. That says a lot about him. I hope when the time is right he and Mariah will be blessed with a healthy child and continue to be happy in their careers and marriage.
Great Interview!!! The Mr. Mariah Carey thing is so damn old and lame!! Why don't people call Ashton, Mr. Demi Moore? Is that a sentiment as to how much more powerful and iconic Mariah Carey really is than other people!?!?! Hmmm
Anywhoo…………..I like this interview other than that part. They should get the cover of VIBE, God knows Vibe needs as many subcriptions as possible. I have'nt read VIBE in years. They fell off!! lol