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I think I would need some kind of spreadsheet to keep track of Nick Cannon’s family situation. (Peridot did a thorough list last November.) He has had twelve children by six women, and five of his kids were born in 2022. This unconventional family arrangement gets more press attention than his career and it’s not hard to see why. He recently talked to the LA Times about what it takes to maintain his family financially, why he has so many children, and how he tries to be a present dad to all his kids:
He earns 9 figures to support his family: When you think about my lifestyle, I have to generate at least $100 million a year,” Cannon, a father of 11 young children from six different women, told Los Angeles Times columnist Amy Kaufman.
He keeps having kids because he’s a people pleaser (!!): Cannon’s family may be big (it’s possible it hasn’t finished growing), but the “Wild N’ Out” creator said he keeps fathering children simply because he’s a people-pleaser. He told Kaufman that a number of his partners were anxious about having children at the right time.
“A lot of them are in the same age group,” he said. “And I just wanted to give them what they desired. I kept saying, ‘I can handle it.’
He keeps separate calendars for each child: “I’ve been villainized,” Cannon said. “I hear all the time: ‘You can’t be present for all those children.’ So therefore I get this deadbeat-dad title.”
Contrary to that label, Cannon said he keeps separate calendars for each of his children, brings his kids to network meetings, chauffeurs them around and even decides his sleeping arrangement based on which child he’ll drop off last.
Quality over quantity: Regardless, he said he still feels guilty about not spending enough time with his kids. But instead of focusing on how much time he spends, Cannon would rather focus on the quality.
“It’s not about what I do for you or what I say to you, it’s about how you feel when I’m with you,” he added. “If you feel loved when you see your dad, that’s what’s gonna resonate.”
There’s…a lot going on here. Nick has said before that he feels guilty for not spending enough time with each of his kids, which is understandable. I’m not a parent, but I would imagine that most working parents wish they could spend more time with their kids. And it’s great that he earns enough to support his family. But that support appears to be distributed inconsistently, based on requests the moms make rather than an organized system. It also comes with strings. He’s said that he won’t support the moms financially if they have other partners, while he can basically do what he wants and continue to have babies with lots of different women. It seems like financial control and an uneven power dynamic. I don’t think that creates a healthy environment for little kids. If mom can get disconnected from financial support at the drop of a hat…where does that leave the kid?
I felt like unpacking that last quote about “It’s not about what I do for you…” because I understand what Nick means but I think he’s still missing something. He’s right in saying that children need to feel that their parents love them. You can tell, as a kid, whether or not your parents are proud of you. It’s just an instinct. However, a dad’s words and actions matter, too! If a parent is loving towards their child, but isn’t consistent, that’s super confusing to little kids. I think that by choosing to have so many children by so many women, Nick has put himself and his kids in this situation. The consequence of that choice is that he can’t possibly give each child what they need. So even if he thinks he’s putting his family first, his choices tell a different story. It’s really all about his ego and his pride.
Note by CB: Welcome our new writer Carina. She loves Old Hollywood, red carpet fashion, and all things glamorous. When she’s not watching old movies or reading the latest gossip, she’s trying to decode Lana Del Rey’s latest Instagram post.
I’m deeply curious about how he earns 9 figures annually.
Me too! Maybe it’s because I just move to the US last year, but I know nothing about him besides his multiple baby situation. I looked at his wikipedia, but none of the things listed there makes $100 million a year seem like a reasonable income
Yeah, some here!
I’d like some deets on this, as well. I imagined he was able to pull in $5-10 million annually, giving each household an income of high six figures. Now he’s saying he’s giving tens of millions to each household annually? Seems unrealistic and unlikely. But you kinda love to see his punishment for this extreme narcissism that he’s legally obligated to provide for each of these households at certain amount and won’t be able to take a break from his hustle for decades. Not that I enjoy seeing kids neglected, but for anyone who thinks this is some testament to his virility, take a look at the financial and legal obligations of part-time parenthood. Take a closer look. It’s not a trivial thing.
First, welcome Carina!
Second, I’m trying to figure out how this all adds up to $100 million a year. My college roommate was the oldest of 12 and her family got by on less than $100 million. Then again, there was only one mother in the family. But even six mothers and six houses don’t add up to that. I suppose his $2 million diamond encrusted shoes add to the annual expenses, but how many pairs of those can one buy in a year?
Oh you need $100 million a year to support your lifestyle?
Poor baby, let me go fetch my violin.
Ugh these egotistical assholes who feel entitled to extravagance.
Why can’t these men at least get vasectomies if they’re not going to bother with prophylactics?
Exactly. Boo effin hoo. Stop having kids, then.
We should start a gofundme!
Great first piece! Agree completely, he’s deluded himself about quality and money replacing consistent attention and focus.
She has another post up from earlier about Bebe Rexha.
I’ll correct my comment to say great piece on first day? If that’s also wrong, I don’t know, I don’t read every piece here.
Anyway, was just meant to be supportive after reading the welcome note.
No worries. It’s all good 👍.
Welcome Carina!!
There is no way Nick Cannon is earning a $100M a year. No. Way.
Add his name to the list of anything for attention celebs.
I think he has a couple of production companies? So even if he isn’t seen he’s still making money. But there is no way he’s making that kind of money. He might own some other business’ also. He has been around the industry for a long time. If he was smart when he was young he’s doing alright. But he’s not going to keep it all. I personally think he’s having a very slow meltdown.
On his supposed $100 million a year, the actual article details how he claims that he earns that through residuals and other investments. But this is also a man who has been known to say whatever he thinks will resonate with the person who is interviewing him at that moment, so I also side eye his that all of those things I’m out to $100 million a year. Also welcome Carina!
Welcome, Carina!
I don’t doubt that Nick loves his children and wants to be present and involved for each and every one. But he’s still financially abusing their mothers, and it’s troubling that much of the press seems very unwilling to say that out loud.
Financial abuse is a perfect phrase for it. I don’t even understand his belief that he can cut them off at will, though. He’s on the hook for child support no matter what, the amount of which is generally determined to create equity with the father’s lifestyle, so it’s not clear to me how he could cut the mothers off. Maybe it would be less than the allowance they also get, but I’m starting to think he just piles lies on top of lies to build this false narrative about himself. He doesn’t make close to that kinda coin and he doesn’t have the ability to financially cut off any of the mothers should they start seeing someone else.
I can’t wait until one of these women sues him for an actual court ordered child support system because he is delusional about how this works. You don’t just get to decide that you’re not paying anymore because the mother starts dating.
Same. I hope this article is enough to spur one of them into taking action. Lock down a portion of those residual earnings now! Get the state of California to enforce the child’s right to financial support, regardless of whatever happens in the relationship between mom and dad.
If only there were thirsty lawyers in California that specialize in celebrity fathers trying to skirt their financial obligations.
I’m not getting the people pleasing part. He can tell the women he’s dating that he doesn’t want anymore children.
The standard of living for the mother is the standard of living for the child. He may love his kids but the financial abuse of the mothers isn’t right. You either support the household u created or you don’t. I find it interesting that he things screwing over the mothers of his children is a good thing for his kids to see. SMH. It will be interesting to see what these kids say about him 20 years from now.
I still think he’s making organ donors, not kids. But I guess I’m just cynical.
Was this a humble brag or did he think we’d have sympathy for him? aww you need to make $100 MILLION DOLLARS to take care of the all the kids you have. Pfft.
Spending time with your child like he describes is not so much taking care of them as it is having a nice visit. I keep thinking about how he gets the ‘good time’, while the moms are the ones cooking, doing laundry, up in the night, etc. It just makes me think he is getting the fun stuff, while mom is in the trenches.
If he makes that much he be on FORBES already and the IRS would’ve come after him. Funny how he pretends to be humble and casually boast he makes $100 million a year without any proof of statements.
Welcome Carina!
Hey Carina!
Whatever, Nick. He’s financially abusing the mothers, who unlike Mariah, can’t refuse him or date other people. He’s a weekender dad with the mothers carrying the bulk of the responsibilities of childrearing. And they aren’t any better because they put up with this bs from this manchild, who’s attempting to produce as many potential organ donors as humanely possible.
Welcome, Carina!
^^ This.
I am amazed that this isn’t discussed more.
He is literally creating a human farm of tissues and organs when Lupus inevitably takes its toll and he’s allowed to do so.
Not only is NC financially abusing these women he is also emotionally abusing these women. He is punishing them into a servitude of him, and him only. NC is a narcissistic, egotistical and selfish POS!! NC isn’t a “people pleaser”, he’s procreating at a rapid pace in order to have a collection of children for his ego.
These children are the ones who will suffer greatly from NC, as well as the mothers, as clearly he is incapable to be a father to ALL of them. He makes me violently ill just reading his ridiculously, ludicrous excuses…
Welcome Carina!!!
Well, just because he earns more than the various mothers of his children doesn’t mean that he’s financially abusing them. They are capable of working, I’m sure they must have worked before NC entered their lives, and there’s childcare available and they can work now. As to child support for the children, they can also file applications for support in court for their children. He can’t control that. However, if maintaining an ongoing “friendship” with NC is more important to them, so they can have even more kids by him or be provided with other perks (like housing) as well, then that’s a choice they make. He’s still a cad, but they are not blameless if they don’t pursue child support to gain some measure of independence from him.
I must admit that when I first read the headline very quickly about Nick Cannon “having to generate at least $100” I thought it was talking about the number of kids (100) he was going for.
How’s he going to keep up this income if/when he becomes too sick to work? This is exactly why I’m worried about him having 12 damn kids.
(I note I’m an only child in part because my father knew he’d die young and didn’t want to subject more kids to those issues.)
Welcome, Carina!! Great post on Nick Baby Cannon!
I’m sorry, WHAT??? Having kids is expensive but it’s not THAT expensive. Yes, even if there’s 12 of them.
I’m sorry for your early loss, Jennifer. That must have been very hard to lose your father so young.