Nick Cannon Defends Wife Mariah Carey Over Nicki Minaj American Idol Fight

4 October 2012, 14:22 | Updated: 4 October 2012, 14:31

The comedian and reality TV host says the "theatrics" are taking the focus away from what the show stands for.

Nick Cannon has come to the defence of his wife Mariah Carey over her recent filmed fight with Nicki Minaj on the set of American Idol.

The two judges were involved in a heated exchange during the Charlotte, North Carolina auditions this week, and the comedian said he feels the Fox show is in danger of losing what the focus of the series is all about.

"When you think about what the show is actually about and represents ... I feel like it's taking away from the quality of what Idol is all about," he told Access Hollywood. "This is about people accomplishing their dreams, experts guiding these young people to do what they've done."

Nick also has a career in reality TV as the host of America's Got Talent and praised the strength and class of his wife during the incident.

"My wife is the strongest and classiest woman that I've ever met," he declared. "If you watch the video, she just maintains her composure. I don't think she's moved by the theatrics and pageantry of it all." 

He continued: "She signed up to do a job to help young people. This is like a sidebar. I hope that's not what this show becomes, about the catfights. The show is solely about a singing competition.

"That's why America loves these shows, they want to see people reach a certain goal or win and then to make it about something it's not, [it] kind of shows that the producers and the network are losing their foot a little bit."

Neither Nicki or Mariah has come out and issued a statement about the fight, which saw the 'Starships' yell "off with your head" to Mariah.

Nick added that the 'Loverboy' star didn't worry too much about the day's events when she returned home that night.

"She called me and we were talking about the kids. At the end of the day, she's a mom, and that's my wife. We got diapers to change and kids to raise," he said. "I think that [avoiding on-set drama] was one of her main concerns. [She] signed up to be a mentor on a show that is about people accomplishing their dreams."

American Idol boss Nigel Lythgoe was also forced to hit out at claims the rapper had made a death threat towards Mariah during their exchange.