Terry Crews Apologizes To Gabrielle Union Again For Not Supporting Her After ‘America’s Got Talent’ Exit

Published on June 5, 2020.

Terry Crews has once again apologized to Gabrielle Union over the harmful statements he made in the past about not standing behind her after she was fired as a judge on America’s Got Talent.

“I want to make further amends with Black women, and in particular [Gabrielle Union] for not recognizing the privilege I have – especially in the workplace- and adding this fact to my earlier apology,” he said in a Twitter post on Thursday, June 4.

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Crews and Union worked together in 2019 during season 14 of America’s Got Talent, but only Crews had his contract renewed after the reality competition show’s season ended. Union’s firing led to reports of her being subjected to racism and misogyny, excessive notes about her appearance, and how her ever-changing hairstyles were deemed “too black.”

When asked earlier in the year on an episode of the Today show about Union’s experience, which was being investigated internally at the time by NBC, Crews responded, “I can speak on behalf of any racism comments — that was never my experience on America’s Got Talent. In fact, it was the most diverse place I have ever been in my 20 years of entertainment.”

Crews’ statement angered many viewers–especially after Union was one of the first celebrities to publicly support him after he came forward with sexual assault allegations against a prominent talent agent. After Union saw the Today interview, she said Crews broke the agreement not to make any public statements about the situation until the investigation concluded.

The backlash against the actor then became worse. In a now-deleted tweet, Crews wrote, “There is only one woman on earth I have to please. Her name is Rebecca. Not my mother, my sister, my daughters or co-workers. I will let their husbands/ boyfriends/ partners take care of them.”

Days after, Crews apologized to black women, writing on Twitter, “I hear you, I respect you, and understand you,” without ever addressing Union by name.

Before the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star’s tweets on Thursday, Crews and Union had not spoken about each other publicly since he made the controversial comments. At the end of last month, NBC made a joint statement with America’s Got Talent production company Freemantle claiming that “The investigation has shown that the concerns raised by Ms. Union had no bearing on the decision not to exercise the option on her contract.”

In a new tweet from Crews, his apology did nothing to address the closed investigation, and remains as host on the show, now airing its 15th season.

The news arrives after Union filed a complaint on Thursday, June 4, in the state of California against the producers and NBC. The actress also reportedly accused NBC Entertainment’s chairman Paul Telegdy of threatening her over her decision to speak out against racism on set.