Nick Cannon says that he will no longer be a host of America’s Got Talent. In an emotional post to his Facebook page, he says that jokes involving the “n-word” on his Netflix special were the impetus for a parting of the ways with NBC.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

In a lengthy message posted Monday on his Facebook account, the comedian says he will not be returning to the NBC reality competition for season 12 after executives at the network threatened to fire him over a racial joke he made in a recent Showtime stand-up special.

“I was to be punished for a joke. This has weighed heavy on my spirit. It was brought to my attention by my ‘team’ that NBC believed that I was in breach of contract because I had disparaged their brand,” wrote Cannon. “I find myself in a dark place having to make a decision that I wish I didn’t have to, but as a man, an artist, and a voice for my community I will not be silenced, controlled or treated like a piece of property. There is no amount of money worth my dignity or my integrity.”

The joke in question aired as part of Cannon’s Showtime special, Stand Up, Don’t Shoot, which premiered Friday on the pay cabler. “I honestly believe, once I started doing America’s Got Talent, they took my real n—r card. They did! Because then like these type of people started showing up to my shows,” Cannon said in the special as he jokingly pointed to three older white audience members in the front row. “I can’t do the real n—r stuff no more, because then they’ll put me on TMZ.”

Earlier in his Showtime special, his third on the pay cabler, Cannon made several jokes about NBC and the difference in language he used in the special compared to the more family-friendly reality competition.

“That’s what NBC is gonna stand for tonight: ‘N—rs better come on, cuz n—rs be cussin’, so n—rs be careful,” said Cannon. “‘Cuz y’all see me on the show. I mean sometimes I wish I could say the stuff that I want to say. … But I can’t say that. I can’t talk like that ‘cuz that would mess up the white money. It will.”

In an interview with Howard Stern on Friday morning, Cannon said he wasn’t worried about reaction to his Showtime special. “If they fire me from AGT for the things I’ve said, I can sue them and create a whole new controversy — ‘NBC hates black people!'” he said with a laugh when asked if he was afraid the “AGT white money would dry up.”

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