Nick Cannon Has Been In Love With His Ex-Wife Mariah Carey Since He Was 11 Years Old

Nick Cannon Talks About Mariah Carey, Sliding Into DMs, And More With Us

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Whether you grew up hysterically laughing at his comedy skits on Nickelodeon's All That or watched him host shows like America's Got Talent or Wild 'N Out, it's safe to say Nick Cannon has graced your TV screen or radio at least once.

And with his new celebrity singing competition The Masked Singer preparing to make its debut at the beginning of the new year, Cannon decided to sit down with us and take a trip down memory lane to discuss some of his "First Time" experiences.

Here's what we learned:

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When was the first time you realized you were in love with Mariah Carey?

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Nick Cannon: When I was 11 and that "Someday" video came on — this curly-haired girl, with these tight jeans on doing the Running Man — I was like that is my wife! It's gonna happen. I spoke it into existence.

Who was your first real friend in Hollywood and do you still speak?

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NC: Absolutely, Kenan Thompson still to this day! That's my family now. We went from friends to family. Our mothers are best friends. He looked out for me when I was just a teenager and kept me from sleeping in my car in Hollywood. To this day, that's my brother.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

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NC: Oooh I like this one. Mariah Carey! Everybody knows that. And I married her, now what?! Who does that?

When was the first time you were starstruck?

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NC: I don't really get starstruck. I make dumb decisions and mistakes around celebrities. The first time I met Oprah I walked up to her and said, "You told Harpo to beat me!" That was probably the dumbest thing I could ever say to Oprah, but I said it. It's 100 percent true.

*For anyone unfamiliar with the reference, the iconic line comes from the1985 film The Color Purple, in which Oprah made her acting debut.

What was the first big career change you were hesitant to make?

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NC: I'm not really a hesitant type of person. I fly by the seat of my pants. I've had a lot of big career changes, obviously. People have watched me grow up in this industry. From quitting America's Got Talent to creating my own show Wild 'N Out, to starting my own record label and being the chairman of TeenNick, it's all been stuff that I was like, "Hey, I'm jumping in. I'm going for it!"

Never be scared! I'm fearless!

Who's the first person that comes to mind when thinking of your dream Wild 'N Out guest?

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NC: Eminem, we all know this! He needs to come and represent.

What's the first crazy rumor you've ever heard about yourself?

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NC: Man, you got me thinking back. I don't know, there were always those rumors where the first time I heard I was dead. You know, where they kill you on Wikipedia? I was like, "No, I'm here!" People were calling me and I'm like, "No, I'm still alive. I didn't die."

When's the first time you slid into someone's DMs?

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NC: I've never done that. I'm sorry, I'm not a DM slider. That's weird to me. These people are strangers. I don't want to know you that bad, that I'm going to go invade your privacy and start introducing myself. Sorry!

When's the first time you realized you were famous?

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NC: I still don't feel famous. I think because I have way more famous people around me, like my kids are more famous than me. I don't feel famous. I'm not famous. Beyoncé's famous. Mariah's famous. Those people are famous, I just work in the entertainment industry.

When's the first time you realized your voice could inspire change?

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NC: Probably when I was like super young, like 4 years old. I come from a long line of community activists and ministers. That's what they dedicate their lives to, utilizing their voice for the community. I've always been taught, "To whom much is given, much is required," so the more that I am given a platform and opportunity, the more I have to use my voice.

Finish this sentence: I want to be the first person in Hollywood to _______.

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NC: Not give a fuck!

Thanks for playing, Nick Cannon. Be sure to catch his newest project The Masked Singer when it premieres on Jan. 2 at 9 p.m. on Fox.

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