No ‘Insensitive, Derogatory’ Comments Made About Gabrielle Union At ‘America’s Got Talent,’ Reveals Investigation

NBC’s investigation on Gabrielle Union’s claims about her stint on “America’s Got Talent” found that there was no wrongdoing made toward the axed judge.

Together with Julianne Hough, Union left the show in November after just one season, and they were replaced by Sofia Vergara and returning judge Heidi Klum. At the time, she claimed there was an unhealthy culture on the set that involved racist jokes. The network’s probe on the 47-year-old’s allegations wrapped up on Wednesday (May 27).

“Through the investigation process, it has been revealed that no one associated with the show made any insensitive or derogatory remarks about Ms. Union’s appearance, and that neither race nor gender was a contributing factor in the advancement or elimination of contestants at any time,” the statement from NBC, Fremantle and Syco read.

For the inquiry, the network tapped an independent investigator who held over 30 interviews to verify Union’s claims. Union first sat down for five hours with NBC execs in December to set the record straight about her sudden departure. The meeting was also done in a bid to improve the atmosphere on the set of “America’s Got Talent.”

“I led with transparency and my desire and hope for real change,” Union said at the time.

Union has said that she and Hough often got remarks about how they looked, and she claimed to have been told that her hairstyle was deemed “too black” for the viewers. The author also noted some racially insensitive comments from Jay Leno when he made a guest appearance on the show, a part which the TV audience didn’t see because it got edited out.

Union also said in a lengthy interview that she was axed from the program for airing her sentiments about the “toxic” culture of “America’s Got Talent.” She revealed that she was “poisoned” by Simon Cowell, the show’s creator and judge, because of his smoking habits indoors. On her first day on the set last year, she was greeted by a cloud of smoke, which she said she was allergic to.

The “Bad Boys II” star complained about this to the producers, but they said nothing would be done to correct Cowell’s actions despite hearing the same issue in the past.