WHAT’S BEING CLAIMED:
- Gabrielle Union’s ousting from “America’s Got Talent sparked an investigation to be launched by the “Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
- The labor union issued a statement on Monday, saying: “We take issues of workplace health and safety very seriously.”
- NBC and Fremantle’s first response to the drama was a statement praising AGT’s support of “inclusivity and diversity,” and explained Union and Julianne Hough’s exits as routine cycling out of judges.
SAG-AFTRA is launching an investigation into the sudden ousting of Gabrielle Union from “America’s Got Talent.”
The labor union issued a statement on Monday, saying: “We take issues of workplace health and safety very seriously. We immediately reached out to Ms. Union’s representatives when these reports came to light. It is our practice to work closely with members who reach out to us and their representatives in instances like this, as that usually affords the best protection and best resolution for the affected member.”
“For certain matters, our investigation and enforcement needs to happen independently and we are prepared to handle this issue accordingly, as warranted,” the statement continued. “Our enforcement action is usually handled confidentially to protect the member involved, and we typically do not publicize these matters unless the member requests that we do so.”
The Screen Actors Guild added that, “while we have taken steps to investigate this matter, we have nothing to report now.”
On Sunday, NBC and AGT’s production companies, Fremantle and Syco, told ET that they “remain committed to ensuring a respectful workplace for all employees and take very seriously any questions about workplace culture.”
The statement added: “We are working with Ms. Union through her representatives to hear more about her concerns, following which we will take whatever next steps may be appropriate,” the statement added.
Gabrielle Union responded to the companies’ statement by sharing a list of what makes “a solid apology” on Twitter.
The actress and fellow judge Julianne Hough were let go and not set to return to AGT’s next season. Reportedly, Union expressed concern about the talent competition show’s “toxic culture” to NBC’s Human Resources department.
NBC and Fremantle’s first response was a statement praising AGT’s support of “inclusivity and diversity,” and explained the two women’s exits as routine cycling out of judges.
But Union’s husband, Dwyane Wade, claimed on Twitter that her wife was fired from the talent show.
Among the alleged incidents that occurred during Union’s time on AGT was an act that she found racially insensitive during the audition rounds. According to Variety, sources claimed that Union got specific critical network notes on her hairstyles, which were reportedly deemed “too black” for the AGT audience, and that she received these notes multiple times.
An NBC insider denied the news to Variety, claiming that there were only notes about “hair continuity” for both the female judges.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment