Nick Cannon shows off Lady Liberty’s size 879 sandal, a Snapple Real Fact brought to life by Dr Pepper Snapple Group in New York City on Monday, July 22, 2013. Credit: Craig Barritt / Getty Images
Nick Cannon has become Hollywood’s jack of all trades, cashing in his teenage success on Nickelodeon to become a respected TV host, feature film actor, comedian, musician and producer. Among one of his most recent roles: becoming a father of twins.
“I’m the disciplinarian in the family,” Cannon told Metro on Monday. The “America’s Got Talent” host knows there are certain expectations that comes with having famous parents, and when your wife is Mariah Carey, even the little things get magnified.
“I’m not looking forward to watching my children be ‘the next big things,'” he says. “I’d rather them be college professors or neuroscientists.”
In New York for the live finale of “America’s Got Talent” and to promote Snapple’s re-enFACTments campagin, Cannon continues to enjoy the unscripted side of television. His hit MTV show, “Wild N’ Out” made its return this month and he’s set to produce and host the reincarnation of “Soul Train,” a show he has fond memories of as a kid.
“A Nick Cannon Snapple Fact would be that at 15 years old I was a ‘Soul Train’ dancer,” he recalls. “That was the first time I was ever on national television. I used to sneak into Paramount studios and stand outside and wait to be chosen.”
Cannon rose to fame in the late 90s on Nickelodeon’s “All That” as a part-time player and eventually a writer for the show, which was essentially a kids’ version of “Saturday Night Live.” His big personality landed him his own show on Nick, appropriately named “The Nick Cannon Show,” but his favorite memories of being a teen star came during his “All That” days when the cameras started to roll.
“Every Friday we’d tape in front of a live audience and we’d have all the hottest music guests come and perform so that was always a kickoff to our weekend. I’ll always look back on good memories of that time.”
These days Cannon is where he’s always felt comfortable, with a microphone in his hand and nothing holding him back.
“Live TV is good because you don’t have to rehearse,” he says.
