00:00What's up, it's Nick Cannon and you're watching In Studio with The Hollywood Reporter.
00:08Congrats on getting picked up The Masked Singer, second season.
00:12That's kind of cool.
00:13That's exciting.
00:14Second and third season.
00:15Second and third season.
00:16They gotta keep cooking while the pot is hot.
00:18Yeah, are they gonna come out like, I know second season's coming out in the fall.
00:22Yeah, and then the third season debuts directly after the Super Bowl.
00:27Super Bowl Sunday, so that's big.
00:30Yeah, that's huge.
00:31That's a nice little lead in right there.
00:33Yeah, you know, something small like the most watched ever.
00:37You'll have a few viewers, you know, it'll be great.
00:40Absolutely.
00:41Well, no pressure, don't screw this one up.
00:43I know, thanks.
00:47What's in store for season two?
00:48Same judges, same format?
00:50Yeah, but bigger performances.
00:52I hear like even more major celebrities.
00:57We definitely have a few more contestants.
00:59I don't like to get involved with who the celebrities are because I want to be in on it with
01:04the audience.
01:05Okay.
01:05And be surprised when the masks are revealed or the stars are revealed from under the mask.
01:12And I've seen a few of the costumes for season two though and they're spectacular.
01:17So if you like season one, you're gonna love season two.
01:20Can you tease maybe what costumes are being made?
01:22All I gotta say, there's a very flamboyant egg.
01:28Okay, there's an egg.
01:29An egg.
01:30Hard boiled.
01:31Got it, okay.
01:31Being a producer of the show, I wanted to be like, okay, come on.
01:34No, you really do know, don't you?
01:36I really do.
01:36I mean, they gave me the option.
01:38Yeah.
01:39And I was like, nah, I don't want to know.
01:41I think it makes it more fun for me.
01:43And that's the only reason why I did the job in the first place.
01:46Like, if I can have fun, I'm there.
01:48Right.
01:49But then I think it just, as a host, it makes it feel a little bit more authentic.
01:55Yeah.
01:55When I'm like, no, who is this?
01:57Who is it?
01:57And I'm trying to figure it out with everyone else.
01:59And it kind of keeps me on my toes.
02:01Right, right.
02:01There was a moment in the first season where T-Pain, spoiler alert, took home the trophy.
02:07Yeah, if you didn't see it.
02:09Spoiler alert.
02:10But there was a moment where you almost figured it out because you picked up on something.
02:14Because I know Paine very well.
02:16And I just like the way you're like, I know how playful he is.
02:20Yeah.
02:21And then just his tone.
02:23I mean, I've made records with T-Pain before, so I know his range a little bit.
02:27So I was like, I know that voice.
02:28And it's funny because a lot of the people that, you know, I'm familiar with, a lot of
02:33them, so like, and they know that they know me.
02:36Right.
02:37So they're like pushing me.
02:38Okay.
02:39Like, they're having fun.
02:40And I'm like, all right.
02:41So if somebody's this playful with me, that means I actually know this person.
02:45Yeah.
02:45So I start going through my mental roller decks like, all right, that could be this person.
02:49It could be this person.
02:49But I think everybody, I'm just as intrigued as, you know, the audience is at home.
02:54So we have a great time.
02:56Was there a reveal from season one that you were the most surprised by?
03:01Rumor Willis.
03:01I was definitely surprised by that.
03:03I thought it was a member of Destiny's Child for sure.
03:06Yeah.
03:07Kelly Rowland.
03:08That's who I thought it was.
03:09Yeah, I definitely thought it was Kelly or Michelle or somebody like that.
03:13Yeah.
03:13Uh, that one definitely got me.
03:16The Rabbit.
03:18Oh, did that hit you?
03:19I will tell you, I was a boy band girl.
03:22Right.
03:22I knew every boy band, especially NSYNC.
03:24Right.
03:25I thought it was AJ McLean or Donnie Wahlberg.
03:27I thought it was Donnie too for a minute.
03:29Yeah.
03:29And then I started to like, then I was like Orlando.
03:31I think that was one of the hints or something like that.
03:34Yeah.
03:36Yes, because you know, I really thought it was Donnie because I think one of the hints
03:38was like a restaurant.
03:39Right.
03:40And I was like, oh Wahlbergers.
03:42And then, but Joey got us all.
03:44He did, he did.
03:46So the series really took off.
03:48Yes.
03:48And it's been billed.
03:49I'm going to read this because this was really exciting.
03:51It's called The Biggest Success Story on Broadcast TV.
03:54What do you think about this show resonates with audiences?
03:59The element of surprise and like getting to do that, that mystery, that who sung it as
04:08we call it.
04:09And then the fact that it's just so zany and crazy.
04:12Like it's, it's something that if it'll catch your eye and if it doesn't keep you locked in.
04:19Right.
04:19Then, I mean, it's just good entertainment.
04:22Yeah.
04:22You know, like it's one of those things, like if you're just flipping channels,
04:25you're going to stop on The Masked Singer.
04:26If you see a billboard, it's so intriguing.
04:29And I think that was one of the reasons why as a producer, I even was drawn to it.
04:34Because I'm like, if you're going to go big, you got to go all the way.
04:37And this show does it.
04:39And knowing that, you know, it was such a global sensation already,
04:43I knew that, you know, we would latch onto it here and do it our way in the States.
04:47Let's just say we lived in a world where you weren't the host and you weren't a producer.
04:52Right.
04:52Is this something you would consider being a contestant?
04:55I would definitely consider it.
04:56Yeah.
04:56I mean, I think because of somebody who's multifaceted and, you know,
05:00obviously come up in the music space, a show like this is perfect for someone with my skill set,
05:04just knowing like, because some people know me from acting.
05:06Some people know me from, you know, kid stuff.
05:10And even in my music career, I haven't really expressed all of my talents.
05:17So this would be something where I would have a lot of fun with it as well.
05:21And the fact that you get, I love to dress up.
05:23I mean, clearly, like I'm always like going over the top with it.
05:26So I wouldn't mind being in one of those crazy costumes.
05:29Yeah.
05:30No, that would be fun.
05:31You should do it and you should do a Mariah song.
05:33That's what you should do.
05:34Right?
05:34In all the high notes.
05:35Yes.
05:36Oh, oh, that would be scary if somebody tries to attempt that.
05:39No, I don't like her.
05:41Um, speaking of the kids' shows, all that is back.
05:43Yeah, it's exciting too.
05:44And not only that, in the premiere episode, you know they spoofed you, right?
05:48They spoofed me.
05:49Yeah.
05:49Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:50The turban and the shiny shoes, the shiny suit, all of that.
05:54I reposted it and then commented on the page.
05:57Like, I mean, that's an honor, especially, you know, kind of paying respect to the school in which I came
06:03from.
06:04Right.
06:04So I love that.
06:06And obviously, I'm going to forever be a Nickelodeon and Viacom family.
06:11So it's love.
06:12Would you ever consider coming back for a guest spot?
06:15Yeah, of course.
06:16Why not?
06:16Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:17Do you have plans to do that?
06:18You never know.
06:19You never know.
06:20But, you know, that's family over there.
06:22Yeah.
06:22One of my closest friends and, I'll say brother, Kenan Thompson is one of the executive producers.
06:29So all you got to do is put the call in.
06:31I'm there.
06:32I love that.
06:33Yeah.
06:33Do you have any, what are some of your fondest memories from all that?
06:36Oh, just being a kid and hanging with Kenan and Kel.
06:41It was really, like, because, you know, I came towards the later years of all that.
06:46So I always watched the show and wanted to be on the show.
06:49And so for the people that I looked up to to actually become my friends and my peers,
06:54I was living a dream.
06:55You know, I was writing for the show and stuff at, like, 17.
06:58So I was still a kid.
07:00And doing the warm up and being on this, and then being accepted to be on the show was like
07:06a dream come true.
07:06So I'll never forget any of that.
07:08What an incredible trading ground for you.
07:09Yeah.
07:10It really set you up.
07:11Absolutely.
07:12And as if you're not already busy, you picked up doing a morning show here in LA, Power 106.
07:17Yeah.
07:18What brought that on?
07:19I just wanted to have fun.
07:20Again, another place that I grew up being entertained by and, you know, walked the halls
07:25and stood outside wanting to go upstairs and play my music and get people to listen to my
07:30demo.
07:31And, you know, I've been in radio for so long.
07:35But being someone who's trying to dominate on, you know, as many verticals of media as
07:40possible, I was like, yo, I got to jump back in radio.
07:44And when the opportunity of, like, one of the biggest radio stations in hip hop history
07:49became available, I was like, yeah, I'll jump in there and tackle that as well.
07:53Yeah.
07:53It's all part of my master scheme.
07:55Oh, what?
07:56Tell us more about this master scheme.
07:57World domination.
07:59Isn't there, there was rumblings of a late night talk show.
08:02And there's still rumblings.
08:03Okay.
08:04I mean, and you know, it's just, I feel like, again, going back to the things that I've always
08:09wanted to do with my life, that's always been a dream, but I think the playing field and just
08:15the climate and entertainment has changed since the days of, like, Leno and Arsenio that, you
08:23know, the time of day really doesn't even matter anymore.
08:25So, like, but I would love to be able to do something real fly, real sexy.
08:30What would it look like?
08:30Like, there's so, I got so many ideas, but to me, I feel like you have a Hollywood vibe,
08:36but still allowing America entry point.
08:40So, you know, whether it's late night or any other day part, I feel like I just want to,
08:44I want to live in that space of being able to do interviews and have fun and play music
08:50and be a curator and comment on, you know, pop culture and social media and gossip.
08:56And I think, you know, I kind of do that.
08:57So I do that on the radio.
08:58I do that, you know, on my podcast and stuff.
09:01So to be able to, to offer some things up, I think you'll see, you know, in the next,
09:05next year or so, we're going to be doing a lot of fun stuff in that space.
09:08Okay.
09:09Now, many don't know this, and I was surprised to hear, you were actually in school pursuing
09:13a degree.
09:14Currently.
09:14A master's.
09:15Yeah, yeah.
09:16I've been going since, uh, 2016 at Howard University.
09:20Uh, and actually looking, I mean, I, you know, I got to start slow.
09:25Uh, so I'll, I'll be graduating.
09:28Uh, with my bachelor's in criminology and administrative justice, uh, next May.
09:34But then, um, I'm already, uh, because I've been doing so many graduate classes and stuff
09:38throughout the process of the last four years, I'm already like jumping towards, uh, the,
09:43the PhD.
09:45So, so we're doing, I'm, I'm in it for the long haul.
09:47So I'll be in school probably for another three to four years.
09:51Now, is this online or are you showing up to classes?
09:54I got to show up to class.
09:55Like, I go to Washington DC every week.
09:57Uh, just one, I mean, the experience at HBCU, you know, and we call it the Mecca at Howard
10:03University.
10:03You can't, you don't want to do that online.
10:05Right.
10:05You want to actually be there on the yard and experience that energy.
10:10I'm on the founder's library each and every week hanging with my professors.
10:13And that's even where my Canon's class podcast originated.
10:17Just being on campus and meeting so many dynamic professors and, and, you know, historians and
10:23academics.
10:24And I was like, yo, I want, I want my audience and my friends to see this vibe and really
10:30catch
10:30that, uh, intellectual bug.
10:32So, um, and I think we're going to do a lot more as I, as I kind of expound in
10:37that
10:37area as well.
10:38I, I can only imagine sitting there as a college student and watching Nick Cannon come
10:42and sit down next to me.
10:43They made fun of me for like the, like when I was a freshman, like they were like taking
10:48pictures of me falling asleep in my early classes.
10:51Oh, okay.
10:52They was like, uh-huh.
10:53Look at Nick Cannon in here, wiling out.
10:55Uh, but, uh, and I, it wasn't like, even now they don't, it's not like it's a big
11:00thing to do.
11:01The only time I get a lot of attention, uh, at this school is when they have me do like
11:07the freshman recruit or orientation.
11:09Cause you know, kids coming in, they're like 16, 17, uh, they're not used to seeing me,
11:15but all the students there, they're like, oh, that's Nick.
11:18We got finals this week.
11:19We in midterms.
11:20We're not worried about them.
11:21And you know, it's, it's kind of that hustle and bustle of college life.
11:24So it's, it's never really that big of a deal.
11:26I imagine people would like to be in study groups with you.
11:28You know, I like to be in study groups with people that everybody's really helpful to
11:32me.
11:33They're like, we got you, Nick.
11:34Don't worry.
11:34Oh, that's awesome.
11:35Oh, you're just winning awards.
11:37I gotta go to MTV.
11:39Just make sure you're in class on time.
11:41Yeah.
11:41That's awesome.
11:42Yeah.
11:42If you don't like to be in groups with me too much, cause they're like, yo, you supposed
11:46to finish this.
11:47I'm sorry.
11:48I'm not my office.
11:49I'm gonna do it.
11:49I promise.
11:49It's on the way.
11:51Um, I think you need to figure out when you're going to sleep with everything on your plate.
11:54Yeah.
11:55I don't know the last time I went to bed.
11:57I can't remember.
11:58Cause you know how most people like they put on pajamas and they watch television and
12:02they fall asleep.
12:03I don't do that.
12:04There's none of that.
12:04Yeah.
12:05Like after this, I'll probably go take a nap.
12:07Yeah, you should.
12:08Go to the studio, hang out with my kids.
12:10And by that time, you know, probably go back to the studio and then I'm off to the radio
12:14station.
12:14Yeah.
12:15And then you go to the radio station.
12:16And once that late night talk show kicks in.
12:18Yeah.
12:18Just like a full circle.
12:22Well, we're so excited to see where you go next.
12:24Yeah, absolutely.
12:25Keep watching.
12:26Yes.
12:26Keep watching.
12:27Thank you so much for stopping by.
12:29No problem.
12:29Thank you for having me.
12:29Be sure to look out for season two on of The Masked Singer on FOX.
12:34Yes.
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