Nick Cannon Says His Therapist Calls Him A 'Machete Juggler' Amid Narcissism Diagnosis

Nick Cannon is opening up like never before.

In a candid new interview, the actor, TV host, comedian, and father of 12, pulled back the curtain on his mental health journey.

Nick Cannon also opened up about being diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder during therapy.

When speaking with Vulture, Cannon admitted, “I took the test… they were like, ‘Yeah, no. You’re definitely a narcissist."

The "Masked Singer" host has been vocal about his evolving approach to fatherhood and self-awareness, especially as his personal life, including his growing family and past relationships, continues to make headlines. But Cannon says therapy has been transformative.

Once known for his wild sense of humor and chaotic dating history, Cannon shared that his therapy sessions, many of which now include his children, have helped him lean into vulnerability and growth. He even turned those experiences into creative fuel for his mental health podcast, "Counsel Culture," where therapists “pick him apart” on-air.

“One of my therapists says I’m a machete juggler,” he joked. “I’m the boy wonder: ‘Buy your tickets! Watch me do the impossible!’”

Despite the diagnosis, Cannon sees his self-reflection as a tool, not a label.

Cannon says embracing contradiction is part of who he is: a kids’ entertainer and sex-and-relationships podcaster, a doting dad who rarely gets quality one-on-one time with his children.

“Quality time. That’s the only thing that I don’t have an abundance of,” he admitted, calling it his weakest love language.

He also acknowledges public skepticism about his ability to parent such a large family, but insists his children have access to opportunities, resources, and love, even if his version of fatherhood isn’t conventional.

“Everybody else says, ‘There’s no way he could spend all the time with them kids.’ But I’m doing my best,” he said. “And where I fall short, I hope the advantages I bring can help lift them up.”

For Cannon, vulnerability and humor have always gone hand in hand, especially when it comes to turning awkward, even humiliating, life moments into material.

The multi-hyphenate entertainer revealed that one of his earliest stand-up stories, about accidentally wetting the bed during an overnight stay at a woman’s house, unlocked his signature style of raw, unfiltered comedy.

“I thought I was the man,” he recalled, laughing, before admitting he panicked and tried to flip the mattress to cover it up. “Do I burn the mattress? Do I just set her apartment on fire to save my ego?” he joked.

That moment, he said, showed him the power of turning embarrassment into entertainment. “Watching a crowd go crazy for, really, one of my most vulnerable and trying-to-figure-it-out moments… it was hilarious,” Cannon shared. “From that day forth, I was like, I just always got to find the craziest stories from my life and talk about it.”

This isn't the first time Cannon opened up about being diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, a revelation he says has helped him better understand himself and those around him.

“I still don't understand it all the way, but I kind of always wanted to get tested for it. I did a bunch of tests,” Cannon told PEOPLE last Thanksgiving while volunteering at the Los Angeles Mission.

Cannon, who has also been diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia, describes himself as a “neurodivergent individual," a label he says he’s come to accept over the years.

“I feel like there are so many labels out there, but it's like, to be able to embrace it and say, ‘Look, I'm healing. I need help. Show me,’” he shared. “I just embrace mental health and therapy in such a strong way.”

For Cannon, being transparent about his journey is part of how he manages day-to-day life, both for himself and as a way to set an example for others. “To be able to say I'm an example for others but also be healing during the self-process works too.”

But before either interview, Cannon first publicly addressed his narcissistic personality disorder diagnosis during the November 8 episode of his "Counsel Culture" podcast, where he sat down with Dr. Cheyenne Bryant, a Doctor of Psychology.

In the candid conversation, the "Masked Singer" host confirmed he had been “clinically diagnosed” and revealed that the traits associated with the disorder deeply resonated with him.

“I identify with almost all the markers,” Cannon admitted. “I've taken all the power away from the term narcissism ’cause I’ve researched it and I understand it.”

Rather than shy away from the label, Cannon said that understanding the diagnosis has allowed him to take ownership of his narrative and grow from it. “Call me whatever you want,” he added. “Now if I didn’t know what it was, then I’d have an issue with it.”

The conversation marked a pivotal moment in Cannon’s mental health journey, one that he hopes inspires others to approach their own diagnoses with curiosity and compassion rather than shame.