Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Nickelodeon Events, Tours and Experiences Affected by Coronavirus Pandemic [Rolling Updates] | The Great Reopening

Due to the COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) outbreak, Nickelodeon has regretfully had to cancel or postpone some upcoming live fan events that were set to take place around the world within the next couple of months.

'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Fan Recreates Intro in Hopes of Being on Netflix's Live-Action Series

Netflix's live-action adaptation of Nickelodeon's iconic Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series for a while now is still in the very early stages of development (and has been further stalled due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic), and whilst we don't know the names of the actors who'll be portraying
Team Avatar just yet, one fan has decided to put himself forward.


Taking the famous audio from the legendary intro of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Twitter user @all_F808Z published a short video in which he seeks to attract the attention of the upcoming show's casting directors, with the hope of being involved in the live-action Avatar series is any capacity.


"I need your help, Twitter. I'm tryna get in on this new Avatar show on @netflix! Help ya boi be seen by the right ppl ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿพ " he captioned the video on Twitter.

The show of approval through retweets and comments on the video led the prospective star to follow it with, "WOW Thanks everyone for blowing this up even more. We gonna get me into this show for sure now!"

In the video, @all_F808Z impresses viewers by showcasing some pretty dynamic martial arts moves, each inspired by the four main styles of Element Bending in the series. One of the shocking things of all is that he seems to have managed to really do Air Bending by staying airborne almost supernaturally whilst doing what appears to be a Tatsumaki Senpuu Kyaku from Ryu from Street Fighter.

Bryan Konietzko, the co-creator of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series and franchise, revealed that Netflix are planning to host a open casting call for the streaming services upcoming live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender, so @all_F808Z definitely has a shot!

Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender will offer a live-action take on the massively popular animated series of the same name. So far, not much has been revealed about the upcoming series, although it is known that the show will have original creators Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino on board as showrunners. Both Konietzko and DiMartino will also serve as executive producers on the series, alongside Dan Lin.

Subscribe to the NEW official Avatar: The Last Airbender YouTube channel!: https://at.nick.com/AvatarSubscribe

Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix & CBS All Access and The Legend of Korra on CBS All Access!

More Nick: Netflix to Host Open Casting Call for Live-Action 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Series!

Originally published: Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at 01:55 BST.

Original source: IGN Latinoamรฉrica; Additional source: CBR.com.
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Avatars from 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' and 'The Legend of Korra' to Battle Gods in SMITE

Avatars from The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra to Battle Gods in SMITE


ATLANTA – June 22, 2020 – The iconic heroes of Nickelodeon’s beloved animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra will soon become playable characters in the hit mythological action video game SMITE.

This world-bending crossover event will see Aang, Zuko, Korra, and Naga face their toughest challenge yet: SMITE’s Battleground of the Gods. Can the Avatars stop evil gods of ancient myth like Hades, Jormungandr, Medusa, and Thanatos?

All three characters will be available as skins for existing SMITE gods in the all-new Avatar Battle Pass. The Master Wizard Merlin will become Aang, bending fire, air, earth, and water in a true show of Avatar power. Zuko will wield his sword – and bend fire – as the Japanese god Susano. And Korra will enter the Battleground of the Gods alongside pet polar bear dog Naga as the Norse Goddess of Winter, Skadi.


“We went overboard with detail, capturing each Avatar character’s unique personality and referencing fan-favorite moments from the shows,” said Travis Brown, Executive Producer of SMITE. “These are essentially all-new characters that happen to use the same abilities as existing SMITE Gods – and we can’t wait for our more than 30 million fans to play with them.”

The Avatar Battle Pass has even more content for dedicated fans of the series, ranging from an in-game representation of Appa to an emote honoring unlucky cabbage vendors. And for the most hardcore of fans, bonus prestige skins in the Battle Pass feature Aang and Korra in their Avatar states, and Zuko disguised as The Blue Spirit.

“Titan Forge Games is full of die-hard Avatar fans,” Brown said. “When we had the opportunity to work on this franchise, we knew we were going to go all-out and really bring the Avatar world to life in SMITE.”


SMITE’s unique blend of third-person action combat and Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) strategy has attracted more than 30 million players to the Battleground of the Gods. SMITE features an ever-growing roster of 100+ Gods and Goddesses from pantheons around the world and throughout history, and is free to play on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

The Avatar Battle Pass will become available for purchase in SMITE next month. The full reveal of the crossover skins and more information about the Battle Pass will be broadcast live on twitch.tv/SMITEGame next Wednesday, June 24, at 3 p.m. EDT, during the SMITE Update Show.


About SMITE

SMITE is the online Battleground of the Gods, a mythology-themed action game for PC and consoles. Since launching in Europe and North America in March 2014, SMITE has quickly established itself as one of the Top 3 games in the rapidly growing MOBA genre, with over 30 million players. Themed around gods of mythology and offering a third-person camera and more game modes than any other leading game in its genre, the game provides a unique, action-packed experience that puts the player in the thick of the action. SMITE is free-to-play on PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.

For more information on SMITE, visit www.smitegame.com

About Titan Forge Games

The largest of Hi-Rez’s in-house studios, with a player base in excess of 30 million, Titan Forge Games houses the team behind the BAFTA award-winning game SMITE. Delivering god-like, action-packed and accessible video game worlds, with mythological origins and modern themes. They are devoted to exploring and investing in the potential that the SMITE universe offers players, enabling a global audience to experience competition on an epic scale with a worldwide cast.

For more information on Titan Forge Games, visit www.titanforgegames.com

About Hi-Rez Studios

Based in Alpharetta, Georgia Hi-Rez is an industry leading video game publisher and developer at the forefront of the free-to-play, games-as-a-service industry. Hi-Rez’s games have been played by more than 80 million people worldwide, across Steam and Epic Games Store, Xbox One X®, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Nintendo Switch™, iOS and Android. With three games regularly among the Top 10 free-to-play games on Steam, Hi-Rez is one of the few Western developers to have successfully launched multiple, multi-platform games as a service titles to a large audience. Having won multiple awards and accolades for innovation and technology, Hi-Rez has also been recognised for its company culture, leadership and diversity as an employer.

For more information on Hi-Rez Studios, visit www.hirezstudios.com

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Launched in February 2005, Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender ran for three seasons (61 episodes) and emerged as one of the most beloved animated properties in history, drawing 5.6 million viewers during its series finale. Created and executive produced by Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the series is translated in 32 languages. The property has translated into a successful ongoing graphic novel series, which includes 25 volumes and counting. A combination of the titles has spent 70 cumulative weeks on the New York Times Graphic Books Bestseller list since 2012. The DVD and Blu-rays are a successful consumer products business, with the “Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Complete Series” generating nearly $5MM since its 2018 release. The epic story of Avatar: The Last Airbender follows the journey of Aang, a 12-year-old boy torn between fulfilling his fate as the long-awaited Avatar, who can master all four elements and bring balance to the world, and just wanting to be a regular kid.

The Legend of Korra

Launched in April 2012, Nickelodeon’s The Legend of Korra ran for four seasons (52 episodes). Its first season premiered as basic cable’s number one kid’s show and drew 3.8 million viewers per episode, the highest for an animated series that year. Created and executive produced by Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the series is translated in more than 25 languages for Nickelodeon branded channels internationally. The property has translated into a successful ongoing graphic novel series written by TV series co-creator DiMartino. The first graphic novel storyline, Legend of Korra: Turf Wars, has captured various Top 10 sales spots across children’s fiction, YA science fiction, and graphic novel categories since its debut in 2017. The epic story of The Legend of Korra, set in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender 70 years later, follows the journey of Avatar Korra, a 17-year-old girl striving to live up to the legacy of her predecessor Avatar Aang, while using her mastery of all four elements to confront political and spiritual unrest in a modernizing world.

Watch Avatar: The Last Airbender on Netflix & CBS All Access and The Legend of Korra on CBS All Access!

Here’s the official bundle description and trailer showcasing the skins in action:

"The iconic heroes of Nickelodeon’s cult animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra join the Battleground of the Gods in an all-new Battle Pass.

This crossover includes three fan-favorite characters as Skins for community-loved Gods: Aang Merlin, Zuko Susano, and Korra Skadi.

The Avatar Plus Bundle is the best way to get started! Instantly unlock the Korra Skadi Skin and all Battle Pass rewards up to level 25 with the Avatar: The Last Airbender Plus Pass. Plus: you’ll get all three Gods featured in the pass, and their Voice Packs."

For those of you wondering why Appa’s not in the video, someone asked about that on Twitter and got this response from HiRezKillgoon:


Appa will serve as a "ward" that you can set down to keep an eye on an area for you.

From Xbox News:

Iconic Anime Legends Join the Battleground of the Gods in Latest Smite Update


The Smite mid-season update featuring the all-new Avatar: The Last Airbender Battle Pass is now available on Xbox One.

This incredible crossover with Nickelodeon was a passion project for the Titan Forge Team. With the help of diehard fans of the show in our studio, we went overboard with detail, focusing on each Avatar character’s unique personality and look.

The Master Wizard Merlin becomes Aang, bending fire, air, earth, and water in a true show of Avatar power. Zuko wields his sword – and bends fire – as the Japanese god Susano. And Korra enters the battleground of the gods alongside pet polar bear dog Naga as the Norse Goddess of Winter, Skadi.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender Battle Pass also includes additional cosmetics featuring fan-favorite staples from the series, ranging from an emote honoring unlucky cabbage vendors to an Appa ward. For our most hardcore of fans, bonus prestige skins in the Battle Pass feature Aang and Korra in their Avatar states, and Zuko disguised as The Blue Spirit.


Want to get a head start on the Battle Pass? All Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members can get the Smite x Avatar Starter Pass for free as part of Xbox Game Pass Perks. Redeem through the Xbox Game Pass mobile app or from the Dashboard on your Xbox One console (learn more about Xbox Game Pass Perks here). This bundle includes the gods featured in the Battle Pass, their Voice Packs, 3,000 Battle Pass Points, and a Daily Deal Token. Redeem your Daily Deal Token in the Deals tab and unlock a Daily Deal bundle of your choice, containing three great cosmetics chosen just for you.

This update also includes a variety of mid-season gameplay and balance changes. Ratatoskr, the Sly Messenger, is receiving a gameplay update that encourages different playstyles. Ratatoskr can now choose from 4 different Acorns, each granting a different gameplay experience. The Conquest map’s Jungle comes to life, with all-new abilities and behaviors for all the monsters.


These monsters are now more formidable opponents for the gods, adding a new degree of challenge to Smite‘s most competitive game mode. Plus: Items are seeing widespread changes, with a massive rework to Physical Penetration items and all-new items added to the Shuriken tree, the Katana tree, and the Hammer tree. And there’s even more! To check out the full list of changes coming in the Mid-Season update, check out the Update Notes on smitegame.com.

We hope that you enjoy all the mid-season changes as well as the new Battle Pass.

###




From htxt.africa:

Aang, Zuko and Korra join Smite in new Avatar DLC


Smite continues the trend of other games like Fortnite and Brawlhalla by adding third party characters to their games as three characters from the Avatar series join it today as DLC.

Aang and Zuko from The Last Airbender, together with Korra from The Legend of Korra, are now in the game as skins. Each of the characters has a secondary skin too so there’s a total of six new Avatar additions to the game as part of the mid-season 7.7 update.

If you check out the patch notes for the updates you can find some wallpapers for each character. Clicking on the speaker icon next to them will also play a short audio snippet of the voice packs included. Zuko mentions the Agni Kai, Aang talks about letting go of fear, and Korra of Raava.

Smite is free to download for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The Avatar content, however, needs to be purchased in a separate bundle.

“The iconic heroes of Nickelodeon’s cult animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra join the Battleground of the Gods in an all-new Battle Pass,” reads the description of the bundle, “This crossover includes three fan-favorite characters as Skins for community-loved Gods: Aang Merlin, Zuko Susano, and Korra Skadi.”

We hope this partnership means that we’ll be seeing more of avatar in the world of games. The Legend of Korra from Platinum Games is the best known game to come from the franchise but it was a mixed bag for reviewers and players alike. It was also removed from digital stores back in 2017, which makes it difficult to experience in 2020.

###

More Nick: Netflix to Host Open Casting Call for Live-Action 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' Series!

Originally published: Monday, June 22, 2020 at 19:34 BST.

H/T: Special thanks to @smurph25 for the news!; Additional sources: MMO Bomb, All Gamers, @TitanForgeTina, GamesRadar+, Digital Market News, Rock Paper Shotgun, Go Multiplayer, OnMSFT, BeaHero.
Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon, NickRewind, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra News and Highlights!

Benjamin Cox Elevated from Nickelodeon Australia & New Zealand GM to ViacomCBS VP Role

After three and a half years as General Manager (GM) at Nickelodeon Australia & New Zealand (ANZ), Benjamin Cox has become Vice President (VP) of business development, pay and growth projects at the parent company for the children’s channel, ViacomCBS.


Cox is taking on a VP role at ViacomCBS

A ViacomCBS spokesperson confirmed to Mumbrella that Cox will oversee the operations of the company’s subscription brands across the Australian and New Zealand market, including his former workplace Nickelodeon, MTV, and Comedy Central.

He will also be responsible for growing new revenue streams.



“Ben is a fantastic operator and we’re thrilled to have him lead such important functions for the company,” the spokesperson said.

Cox joined Nickelodeon in 2017, setting up the brand in the AUNZ market after sitting on the board for the joint venture between Nickelodeon and Foxtel for almost three years. That board position overlapped with his eight years at Foxtel, and four years at Austar before that, prior to the subscription TV service becoming a part of Foxtel.

At Foxtel, Cox held a number of roles, climbing the ranks to become general manager of content aggregation, a position he held for seven months before joining Nickelodeon.

At least 290 jobs have been slashed at Foxtel as the business navigates the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus), with a further 140 team members stood down.

Last month, ViacomCBS became the sales representatives for Foxtel’s new music brands, including Nick Music, MTV Hits, Club MTV, MTV Classic and CMT (Country Music Television). MTV is a ViacomCBS brand. Ten, also a ViacomCBS brand, announced its new multi-channel, Shake, this week, shortly after revealing a $226m loss, with a $10.7m write off in programming costs and nearly $50m in contracts.

The company shuttered its news and lifestyle site 10 Daily in the midst of COVID-19’s decimation of the local media landscape, but assured the market the closure was “not a reaction” to the pandemic. In April, it reduced staff hours as part of its COVID-19 response.

In March, it was announced that Ten chief executive Paul Anderson would step down just two months after his remit was expanded to include responsibility for ViacomCBS. Rather than directly replacing the role, Beverley McGarvey was promoted to chief content officer and executive vice president (EVP) across both Ten and ViacomCBS.

More Nick: ViacomCBS to Launch New FTA Network 10 Shake in Australia in September 2020!
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Nickelodeon Latin America and La Bala Launch Back to School Line on Amazon Mexico

The Consumer Products department of ViacomCBS Networks Amรฉricas today announced the launch of a Bala's Back to School line inspired teen star and YouTube sensation, Isabella de La Torre, "La Bala"! The line encompasses essential back-to-school supplies such as backpacks, lunch boxes and pencil cases. Fans, better known as "Balovers," have the opportunity to purchase the products until Monday 20th July 2020, as part of an exclusive pre-sale on Amazon Mรฉxico.


"We are delighted to launch the Bala line through Amazon in Mรฉxico," said รngela Cortez, Vice President (VP) of ViacomCBS Networks Amรฉricas Consumer Products. "This is just the first step in a series of products that will be available, and we are confident that Balovers in Mรฉxico will enjoy this fun and colorful collection of back-to-school items."

Starting on July 21, Bala's Back to School line will also be available in select online stores in Mรฉxico.


Bala is currently the host of Nickelodeon Latin America's IG Live series, Nick en Casa. The singer-songwriter and social media star continues to strengthen her popularity with more than 7 million followers on her YouTube channel, La Bala and more than 3 million on Instagram. She recently launched her English YouTube channel Hey Bala! for fans in the United States.


Bala signed an exclusive global representation agreement with Nickelodeon Latin America in May 2019. Under this agreement, Nickelodeon will work with La Bala to propel her career internationally on multiple platforms, including consumer products, music, short-and-long form original productions, social networks, live events and editorial, among others.

Official ViacomCBS Networks Amรฉricas Consumer Products press release via WebAdictos:

Lanzamiento de la lรญnea Back to School de Bala ¡disponible en Amazon Mรฉxico!

Lanzamiento de la lรญnea Back to School de Bala que estarรก disponible en Amazon Mรฉxico, donde las niรฑas podrรกn encontrar mochilas, loncheras y mรกs.

El departamento de Consumer Products de ViacomCBS Networks Amรฉricas anunciรณ el lanzamiento de la lรญnea Back to School de Bala que estarรก disponible en Amazon Mรฉxico, donde las niรฑas podrรกn encontrar mochilas, loncheras y estuches de la superestrella de Nickelodeon Latinoamรฉrica. Los fans, mejor conocidos como “Balovers,” tendrรกn la oportunidad de comprar los productos hasta el 20 de julio, como parte de la preventa exclusiva en Amazon.

«Estamos encantados de lanzar la lรญnea de Bala a travรฉs de Amazon en Mรฉxico», comentรณ รngela Cortez, vicepresidenta de ViacomCBS Networks Americas Consumer Products. «Este es solo el primer paso de una serie de productos que estarรกn disponibles, y estamos seguros de que los Balovers en Mรฉxico disfrutarรกn de esta divertida y colorida colecciรณn de artรญculos para el regreso a la escuela».

A partir del 21 de julio, la lรญnea Back to School de Bala, tambiรฉn estarรก disponible en determinadas tiendas online en Mรฉxico.

Actualmente, Bala es la presentadora del programa por IG Live de Nickelodeon Latinoamรฉrica, Nick en Casa. La cantautora y estrella de las redes sociales continรบa fortaleciendo su popularidad con mรกs de 7 millones de seguidores en su canal de YouTube y mรกs de 3 millones en Instagram. Recientemente lanzรณ su canal de YouTube en inglรฉs, Hey Bala, para fanรกticos en los Estados Unidos.

Acerca de ViacomCBS Consumer Products

El รกrea de Consumer Products de ViacomCBS (VCP) supervisa todas las licencias y la comercializaciรณn de ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC), una compaรฑรญa lรญder mundial de medios y entretenimiento que crea contenido y experiencias premium para audiencias en todo el mundo. Impulsado por marcas de consumo icรณnicas, la cartera de VCP incluye una gran variedad de marcas y contenido de BET, CBS (incluidos CBS Television Studios y CBS Television Distribution), Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures y Showtime. Con propiedades que abarcan animaciรณn, acciรณn en vivo, preescolar, jรณvenes y adultos, VCP se compromete a crear un producto de la mรกs alta calidad para algunas de las franquicias mรกs queridas e icรณnicas del mundo. Ademรกs, VCP supervisa el negocio en lรญnea directo al consumidor para los productos de programaciรณn de CBS y Showtime, asรญ como los sitios web de comercio electrรณnico de marca independiente para Star Trek, SpongeBob, South Park y MTV.

###

Mรกs Nick: La Nueva Serie Infantil de Nickelodeon 'Santiago of the Seas' Zarpa en Una Aventura Repleta de Acciรณn el Viernes 9 de Octubre a Las 12:30 P.M. (Hora Del Este y Hora Del Pacรญfico)!
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Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for Wednesday, July 15, 2020 | NickRewind

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for Wednesday, July 15, 2020 | NickRewind


Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: Nickelodeon and Paramount to Bring 'Rugrats' Back for the Next Generation of Kids!
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Water Bottle Prank Challenge | READY SET DANCE | Crew Tube | Nick Jr.

Water Bottle Prank Challenge | READY SET DANCE | Crew Tube | Nick Jr.


Rome and Myka challenge the Kid Crew to do the water bottle challenge on their families. They are judged on set up, target and splash factor. Check out who pulled off the funniest prank and who had an epic FAIL!

Visit www.readyset.dance for information about READY SET DANCE dance classes for preschoolers.

Online at nickjr.com.au and on the Nick Jr. App, parents and children can find out more about Ready Set Dance, as well as sing and dance-along to music videos and watch short-form video clips from the series. Parents can also Like the official Nick Jr. Australia and New Zealand Facebook and Instagram pages for the latest Nick Jr. news, highlights, video clips and more.

Watch READY SET DANCE season one on Nick Jr. channels globally!

More Nick: Australian-Produced Preschool Dance Series "Ready Set Dance" Goes International on Nick Jr.; Show Greenlit for Season Two!
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Nickelodeon Launches 'Do Not Touch' App in Australia

Nickelodeon has released its first-ever augmented reality (AR) app Do Not Touch in Australia!


Launched in Australia on Tuesday 5th May 2020, the app allows users to bring Nickelodeon’s iconic properties to life in a new and exciting way.

Do Not Touch users experience interactive surprises and mini-games in the app which highlight Nickelodeon's properties including SpongeBob SquarePants, The Loud House, Slime and the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards blimp, along with original animations.

The app makes Nickelodeon’s recognisable 'Do Not Touch' button found on Nickelodeon's official websites and the Nickelodeon Play app, and the animations and interactive experiences it randomly generates, seem to appear in a user’s surrounding physical space when viewed through a mobile device’s camera.

Moving a device allows users to see the action from all angles on the screen, and tapping characters and objects reveals more surprises.


The award-winning app will rollout new games and features on a weekly basis to keep users entertained and engaged.

Nickelodeon's Do Not Touch app first made its debut in the U.S. in March 2018.

DO NOT TOUCH Nickelodeon Fun Free Game CKN | CKN Toys



It is free to download via the App Store https://apps.apple.com/au/app/do-not-touch-by-nickelodeon/id1355139969

Bring the wild world of Nickelodeon's Do Not Touch straight into your own 3D, real-world space!

Play with SpongeBob in your kitchen, enter a portal into outer space from your living room, and dig for buried treasure under your bedroom floor!
Get high scores to unlock rare buttons, games, and goodies – think you've got what it takes to collect them all?


More Nick: ViacomCBS to Launch New FTA Network 10 Shake in Australia in September 2020!

Originally published: Wednesday, May 06, 2020.

Original source: Toy & Hobby Retailer.
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Nick Cannon Dropped by ViacomCBS After Making Anti-Semitic Comments

ViacomCBS has announced that it is ending its long-running relationship with Nick Cannon after he made anti-Semitic comments on his podcast.


Ryan Pfluger for Variety

In the June 30 episode of Cannon’s Class, the actor and TV host interviewed Professor Griff, a rapper who was a part of Public Enemy before leaving the group after making anti-Semitic remarks.

On the podcast, Cannon said Black people are the “true Hebrews” and talked about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories involving the Rothschild family.

“It’s never hate speech, you can’t be anti-Semitic when we are the Semitic people,” Cannon said. “When we are the same people who they want to be. That’s our birthright. We are the true Hebrews.”

A ViacomCBS spokesperson released a statement to Variety, saying that the company’s relationship with Cannon is now terminated.

“ViacomCBS condemns bigotry of any kind and we categorically denounce all forms of anti-Semitism. We have spoken with Nick Cannon about an episode of his podcast ‘Cannon’s Class’ on YouTube, which promoted hateful speech and spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. While we support ongoing education and dialogue in the fight against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him. We are committed to doing better in our response to incidents of anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry. ViacomCBS will have further announcements on our efforts to combat hate of all kinds,” the company said.

On Monday, July 13, Cannon said on Twitter and Facebook that he has “no hate in my heart nor malice intentions” and doesn’t condone hate speech. He also said that he holds himself “accountable for this moment” and takes full responsibility for his actions.


Late on Tuesday and well into the early hours of Wednesday, the host began retweeting scores of messages of support from fans, some of whom condemned ViacomCBS for severing ties with Cannon and expressed concern for the future of long-running MTV sketch comedy series Wild ‘N Out, which Cannon has hosted since its 2005 debut and recent expansion to sister network VH1. Cannon also retweeted a number of his critics who called him the N-word.

He later issued a lengthy statement on Facebook, demanding an apology from ViacomCBS as well as full ownership of “Wild ‘N Out.”

The host has had a relationship with Viacom since he was an audience warm-up artist and actor on Nickelodeon in the ’90s, appearing in All That and his own show, The Nick Cannon Show, and into the 2000s with Wild ‘N Out. He later became chairman of Nickelodeon’s TeenNick cable channel. More recently, he’s been known as the host of The Masked Singer on Fox and hosted America’s Got Talent on NBC from 2009-2016. He’s also launching a syndicated daytime talk show in September with Debmar-Mercury.

From Variety:

Nick Cannon Demands Full Ownership of ‘Wild ‘N Out,’ Says ViacomCBS on ‘Wrong Side of History’

UPDATED: Actor and TV host Nick Cannon has struck back at ViacomCBS, hours after he was dropped by the media giant for making anti-Semitic comments on his podcast.

Cannon has asked for ownership of his MTV and VH1 series “Wild ‘N Out,” as well as an apology from the company.

In a lengthy statement posted to his Facebook page early Wednesday, Cannon wrote, “If I have furthered the hate speech, I wholeheartedly apologize. But now I am the one making demands. I demand full ownership of my billion dollar ‘Wild ‘N Out’ brand that I created, and they will continue to misuse and destroy without my leadership! I demand that the hate and back door bullying cease and while we are at it, now that the truth is out, I demand the Apology!”


In the post, which is titled ‘Truth and Reconciliation,’ Cannon began by noting he is “deeply saddened in a moment so close to reconciliation that the powers that be, misused an important moment for us to all grow closer together and learn more about one another.”

“Instead the moment was stolen and highjacked [sic] to make an example of an outspoken black man. I will not be bullied, silenced, or continuously oppressed by any organization, group, or corporation. I am disappointed that Viacom does not understand or respect the power of the black community,” he continued.

The performer alleges that ViacomCBS recently banned “all advertisement [sic] that supported George Floyd and Breonna Taylor who we are still seeking justice for.” Cannon also claims he personally reached out to ViacomCBS chair Shari Redstone “to have a conversation of reconciliation and actually apologize if I said anything that pained or hurt her or her community,” and received no response.

ViacomCBS claims that Cannon did not attempt to connect with Redstone. “It is absolutely untrue that Nick Cannon reached out to the Chair of ViacomCBS,” a ViacomCBS spokesperson told Variety. In regard to the claim about ads related to the deaths of Floyd and Taylor, the ViacomCBS rep directed Variety to a statement in a July 12 Wall Street Journal story, in which a company spokesperson said that the ad block was related to ta show called “Revenge Prank,” and that “we didn’t want to be insensitive by placing ads for it next to important and serious topics, such as Black Lives Matter. This is standard practice we use with our media agency to ensure that our ads don’t come across as tone-deaf or disrespectful.”

Cannon goes on to list his achievements over the last 20 years, including executive producing and hosting Fox’s “The Masked Singer.”

“My hope and original goal was to use this moment to show healing and acceptance and prayed that Viacom would use their powers for good. Instead I am now receiving death threats, hate messages calling me an ungrateful [N—] and beyond,” said Cannon, who was retweeting messages of support from fans as well as critics calling him the N-word well into the early hours of Wednesday.

“Viacom’s goal to keep me from providing for my family and lineage will be foiled. They can try to kick me while I’m down or force me to kiss the master’s feet in public for shame and ridicule, but instead I stand firm on my square with my fist in the air repeating my mantra, ‘You can’t fire a Boss!'”

In his statement, Cannon also highlighted an “outpouring of love and support from the Jewish community,” noting he has spoken with “Rabbis, clergy, Professors and coworkers” who have offered to help him.

“l am excited to announce that I have been invited to Israel which is a lifelong dream where I will receive teachings, lessons and truth about the Jewish history,” said Cannon. “As someone who is in pursuit for my PHD in Theology and Divinity and just received a degree in Criminal Justice from the Great Howard University, this will be an enriching, enlightening and overall exciting trip!”

A ViacomCBS spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that it was severing ties with Cannon after it emerged that the performer had said on his podcast that Black people are the “true Hebrews” in addition to discussing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories involving the Rothschild family.

“ViacomCBS condemns bigotry of any kind and we categorically denounce all forms of anti-Semitism. We have spoken with Nick Cannon about an episode of his podcast ‘Cannon’s Class’ on YouTube, which promoted hateful speech and spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories,” said the company in a statement shared with Variety.

“While we support ongoing education and dialogue in the fight against bigotry, we are deeply troubled that Nick has failed to acknowledge or apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism, and we are terminating our relationship with him. We are committed to doing better in our response to incidents of anti-Semitism, racism, and bigotry. ViacomCBS will have further announcements on our efforts to combat hate of all kinds,” the company said.”

###

"BAND GEEKS" As Told By...Puppets ๐ŸŽบ featuring Sweet Victory! | SpongeBob

"BAND GEEKS" As Told By...Puppets ๐ŸŽบ featuring Sweet Victory! | SpongeBob


The voices of Patrick and Sandy (Bill Fagerbakke and Jill Talley) recap their favorite SpongeBob SquarePants episode BAND GEEKS with the help of...puppets! Of course, featuring the classic performance of Sweet Victory!

AS TOLD BY brings together the cast of SpongeBob to tell the story of iconic episodes as best as they can. Alongside these less-than-accurate retellings are hilarious recreations of the episode using incredible hand puppets. Each episode will feature SpongeBob cast members recounting episodes, clips from the original show, and IRL Puppet reenactments embracing all of the nautical nonsense SpongeBob has to offer!

Watch SpongeBob SquarePants on Nickelodeon!

Listen to The SpongeBob Musical here!: https://spongebobmusical.blogspot.com

SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated is now available on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch!

CALLING ALL GOOFY GOOBERS! (ROCK!) Are ya ready for a deep dive into the world of SpongeBob SquarePants? The SpongeBob YouTube channel is THE PLACE for all fan-favorite SpongeBob moments! We’re serving up everything from legendary scenes to remixes of classic songs to deep dives into Bikini Bottom lore. Be sure to check back every week for Music Mondays, Wumbo Wednesdays, and Flashback Fridays! Subscribe now at https://www.youtube.com/SpongeBobOfficial!

Shop SpongeBob!: https://www.spongebobshop.com - SpongeBob face masks now available, with ALL proceeds going to charity!

More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces Voice Cast for 'Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years', First-Ever 'SpongeBob SquarePants' Spinoff!
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Will Danny Phantom Come Back? | Butch Hartman

Will Danny Phantom Come Back? | Butch Hartman


Want a custom drawing from Butch? https://linktr.ee/butchhartman

Get Butch's New Book MAD HUSTLE https://www.madhustlebook.com/

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More Nick: Netflix and Nickelodeon Form Multi-Year Output Deal to Produce Original Animated Films and Series!
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