Why is he famous?
Nick Cannon is front and center these days as the newest host of the highly rated prime-time television smash, America’s Got Talent. A true entertainment jack-of-all-trades, he’s also an actor, a musical performer and producer, a stand-up comic, and the chairman of the TeenNick television network. He’s also recognizable to many as the husband of Mariah Carey.
Quick Bio
An aspiring entertainer since he was 8 years old, Nick Cannon started doing stand-up comedy at Hollywood clubs as a teenager before touring in front of Montel Williams and Will Smith with his rap duo, Da Bomb Squad. His solo debut album followed, and he soon branched out into television (Nickelodeon’s All That and The Nick Cannon Show) and movies (Drumline, Bobby). These days, Nick Cannon manages his own record label and oversees the TeenNick televison slate as the company’s chairman. He’s also the current host of America’s Got Talent, where he gets to hang out with The Hoff and watch today’s newest performers in action.
We caught up with Nick Cannon to talk about what makes new musical talent special, why Los Angeles has the most sensitive men in America, and how his wife, Mariah Carey, is secretly a talented comedienne.
The Interview
Q1:You’re the newest host of America’s Got Talent. What do you think makes for true musical talent and what do you think the industry is looking for right now from its new performers?People are looking for something new at the end of the day, and I think when people can do something new and unique to get people’s attention, that’s what is needed. There’s so many people that follow the trend, and then it gets to a point where it gets a little stale. So, in music; I mean, whoever’s the new trendsetter, that’s who people follow.
Q2:Do you see any new trendsetters out there now?There’s so many young people doing some interesting stuff with hip-hop right now… I’m a fan. I like underground rappers — Cory Gunz is a young kid that’s been really doing his thing. I’m a Gym Class Heroes type of fan, even though they’re not new, but they’re definitely trendsetters. The new group, LMFAO — they do some new electro-hip-hop new sounding stuff.
Q3:You get to work with David Hasselhoff, Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne. What can you tell us about that?They’re all great people with amazing personalities. I would say Sharon [Osbourne] is one of the most pleasant women that you can ever meet. David Hasselhoff is crazy and loves life, and to me, [he is] the epitome of cool. I mean, every time I’m there, I’m like: “Hey, that’s Michael Knight, he’s the coolest dude in the world!” And then, I mean, Piers [Morgan] is just a real smart dude and plays his position very well.
Q4:You were in a rap duo when you were a teenager called Da Bomb Squad. How do you think the overall rap industry has changed since you were just starting out, and do you think it’s changed for the better?I think it’s definitely going to a better place. We’ve been through our ups and downs, but -people understand that hip-hop is here to stay. What I love about it, and what I feel like it’s always maintained and worked through, is being able to have different types of hip-hop, just like different types of rock. I mean, you got your hardcore hip-hop, you got your hipster hip-hop — it’s such a grand culture at this point where it’s not just all about the music. So I believe it’s in a great place and I believe it’s gonna continue to thrive.
Q5:You did stand-up comedy at the Laugh Factory and the Comedy Store when you first moved to Hollywood. What was that like and how did the experience of doing that at such a young age help you later?It just kind of made me who I am today, when you think about it, cause I was a kid in a world of adults. One thing about being a stand-up is it’s a one-man show. You gotta do everything. You’re the producer, writer, director, and the actor. You just gotta be out there and perform and give your all. It’s such an honest form of art that it just taught me so much, and it kind of prepared me for manhood at an early age.
Q6:So you’ve also done some acting in Drumline and Bobby and recent stuff like Day of the Dead and American Son. What does acting offer you that your other gigs don’t?Well, acting allows me to step outside of myself, [my] persona or what people may think of me, you know as Nick Cannon: The Entertainer. The beautiful thing about acting is that you can just dive into the character, strip yourself of everything, and just get in there and perfect your craft.
Q7:Is there like a specific kind of role that you think would be a great challenge?Yeah, I mean, there’s a bunch of roles out there like that — I’m attached [to star in] the Arthur Ashe project. There’s a bunch of stuff. I mean I’d love to play a role like Marvin Gaye or Richard Pryor, someone of that caliber.
Q8:So you were part of a survey with Axe about the best American cities for men to show off their sensitive sides. What do you want to say about that?I always said I was probably the perfect person [for this survey] cause I’ve always kind of been that dude — I’m not afraid of my sensitive side, and being able to team up with AXE Sensitive Skin Shower Gel and just kind of go from city to city and figure out what cities rate high for sensitivity for guys is cool.
Q9:So what are the cities that rated the highest?L.A. is [the No. 1 city] where guys can be cool with being sensitive. I think the lowest was Nashville.
Q10:Why do you think L.A. finished at the top?I think that people are just open to stuff out here. It’s one of those things where — I mean, one, because [there are] so many beautiful women in L.A. If you want to strive out here, you’ve gotta be able to come with something different. That’s where sensitive guys can kind of rule.
Q11:On our web site, we talk about dating a lot. From your vantage point, what do you think the most important elements are that some guys might be missing from their game, so to speak?Well that’s the thing. You’ve gotta just be yourself. Dudes think that the whole macho, bravado thing is the way to get girls, but ultimately, it’s like, [women] want to feel like you understand them, you connect with them, you can get in there and express yourself, and be sensitive to their needs. So I think a lot of dudes could kind of strip away the fake tough-guy role and kinda just be themselves and [not] be afraid to emote.
Q12:So you’re married to Mariah Carey. What are your keys for maintaining a successful marriage in Hollywood?One is being in touch with your sensitive side, being able to please a woman in all needs — at all costs, no matter what it is — at the end of the day [it’s about] having a sense of humor and enjoying each other.
Q13:What are some things that you like to do for fun when you’re away from doing the whole celebrity thing?Sit in bed and watch DVDs, and eat candy and popcorn.
Q14:Fans of Mariah Carey only get to see her on stage, in music videos and in interviews. You’ve gotten to know her as a complete person. What can you tell us about the real Mariah Carey?She’s probably the funniest person in the world, and I don’t say that about a lot of people cause, as a comedian, it’s kind of tough to make me laugh, but she just keeps me rolling, like all day long. Her sense of humor and her wit is just — her comedic timing, all of it is just impeccable. She just is a jokester. She loves comedies, you know what I mean? Like, we sit around quoting Eddie Murphy movies from the ’80s. She is one of those type of people, you’d never expect her to be so funny and so comedically brilliant. Like on America’s Got Talent, when just out of nowhere, she pinched me on my ass as we’re walking off the stage. Stuff like that where it’s just — it’s a comedian’s mind, really.
Q15:What words of advice would you pass along to like a future son or daughter if they told you they wanted to get into show business?I’d say go for what you know. Go hard or go home. Give it your all at whatever they want to do — whether it’s entertainment or whatever it is — just giving your all and just believing in yourself more than anything.
Q16:Is that the kind of advice that you’ve been following yourself, obviously?Absolutely. Just speak yourself into existence. Whatever you want, speak it. You can see it.
Q17:You wear a lot of hats professionally. You’ve done your stand-up, you’ve done your music producing, acting, hosting. Have you ever found it to be difficult to be taken seriously by the industry because you do a lot of those things or do you feel like it gives you an edge?I don’t even think about that type of stuff. I just do it. I just work — however people feel about it, I mean, at the end of the day, if I’m waiting for accolades, I could be waiting all my life, but I don’t need that stuff to validate me. I just do what makes me happy. I have [accolades]. However people feel about my acting, I won awards at Sundance, at the Cannes Film Festival. However people feel about my music, I’ve won awards for that, too. I don’t really get caught up in all of that stuff, cause I just do it as an art — I do it for love. I don’t do it for validation.
Q18:So, in a way, for you happiness and the love of the art is what gives you your own personal validation?Absolutely, and especially like even now, I’m at a point in my career where it’s not even about me anymore. I’m really trying to create opportunities and art for others. Like I want to see others reach their goals and dreams. I’m trying to discover new talent and put together new projects where other people can take the game over instead. I don’t know. I’m not really into being a star anymore.
Q19:Which of all of your areas of expertise do you want to concentrate on at this point now in your career? I mean, right now, like I said — I’ll take the stuff like being in front of the camera. I guess it works, but I’m more concerned about being the best businessman I can be and being the best music producer I can be. I’m the youngest television chairman in television history for Viacom’s teen network called TeenNick, so to be able to do that, to be able to know how to run a corporation properly, run my record label properly, that’s the stuff that’s most important to me right now
