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Former AGT judge Gabrielle Union calls the show a "toxic work environment"

Photo credit: Vince Bucci/AP - Getty Images
Photo credit: Vince Bucci/AP - Getty Images

From Digital Spy

America's Got Talent's former judge Gabrielle Union has opened up on her departure from the talent show after one season, making multiple claims about uncomfortable moments during the filming of it.

Speaking to Variety, she referred specifically to a moment where she came onto a sound stage to find Simon Cowell and a producer smoking right in front of her, which set off her allergies and brought her into conflict with the famously germaphobic Howie Mandel.

The actress described the incident as "coming onto a set and you are literally met with the very definition of a toxic work environment, and it's being carried out by the most powerful person on the production."

Photo credit: Vince Bucci/AP - Getty Images
Photo credit: Vince Bucci/AP - Getty Images

Related: Simon Cowell says AGT will continue amid pandemic

"I couldn't escape. I ended up staying sick for two months straight. It was a cold that lingered, and turned into bronchitis, because I couldn't shake it. It impacted my voice, which affects my ability to do my job.

"It was challenging to tend to my illness without being made to feel like I'm responsible for my own sickness. It put me in a position from day one where I felt othered. I felt isolated. I felt singled out as being difficult, when I'm asking for basic laws to be followed. I want to come to work and be healthy and safe and listened to."

She also referred to a moment that was reported on last year, regarding Jay Leno making a joke about Korean people eating animals. Union said that she was disappointed "to experience this kind of racism at [her] job and there be nothing done about it, no discipline, no company-wide email, no reminder of what is appropriate in the workplace".

Photo credit: ITV
Photo credit: ITV

Related: Sharon Osbourne claims Simon Cowell "doesn't like overweight people"

In response to her claims, a spokesperson told the publication that: "When (Simon) was directly informed of the smoking complaint during the first couple of days of the season, he immediately changed his behaviour and the issue was never raised again."

A further statement by Syco and NBC stated that, in response to the issues Union raised, the show "immediately engaged an outside investigator who conducted more than 30 interviews to review the issues raised by Ms Union. While the investigation has demonstrated an overall culture of diversity, it has also highlighted some areas in which reporting processes could be improved."


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