AceShowbiz - Nicole Curtis, star of the HGTV show Rehab Addict, recently addressed controversy surrounding her use of a racist slur caught on camera. Curtis appeared on the March 10 episode of "The Breakfast Club" to clarify what she claimed she intended to say instead of the offensive word.

During the interview with hosts DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God, Curtis explained that she often uses made-up phrases like "fart digger" and "fart knocker" and insisted she never intended to say the slur in question. "Do you have boys? Boys talk about farts all the time," she said, defending her use of unusual language. "OK, again, I can't swear on my show. OK, so yes, I've made up these crazy words."

Charlamagne Tha God challenged Curtis on her explanation, questioning the logic behind the phrase "fart digger." "Fart digger sounds like you're playing with assholes all day. Why? That's another conversation. Why would you be digging in random asses, digging for farts?" he asked skeptically.

In response, Curtis admitted that her made-up words aren't based on any rhyme or reason. "I don't have a rhyme or reason of the words that I make up. I say nonsense stuff all the time," she said. She also mentioned that she and her family live in Detroit, which prompted Charlamagne to press her further. "So your best friends are Black and you live in the hood. What are you trying to prove here when you keep saying you're from Detroit?" he asked. "I'm trying to figure out what you are trying to say."

Nicole Curtis maintained that she doesn’t use racial slurs in her daily life and came to the interview to have an open conversation. "I came here to have an open conversation and I didn't have to," she added.

Rehab Addict, which originally premiered on the DIY Network in 2010 before moving to HGTV in 2014, faced significant disruptions amid this controversy. Season 9 of the series began airing two episodes in June 2025 but was abruptly paused shortly after. The hiatus coincided with scheduling changes at HGTV, which included the cancellation of several other shows such as Battle on the Beach, Farmhouse Fixer, Married to Real Estate, Bargain Block, and Izzy Does It.

Curtis explained the decision to delay the remainder of the season on Instagram, emphasizing the demanding nature of producing the show. "I made the executive decision to shelf the rest of our new shows until fall. I appreciate your support and understanding for the late notice," she wrote. "It's just a lot of hours (my hours) to get a show on air and we (my family + me) thought - why are we giving up summer when we have the ability to do this in the fall?"

The show was expected to return in February, but on the same day new episodes were scheduled for release, RadarOnline published footage revealing Curtis using the offensive racial slur during a renovation project for the series. This revelation led to immediate fallout.

HGTV responded swiftly by confirming that Rehab Addict would no longer air on their platforms. The network released a statement to Us Weekly underscoring their stance. "HGTV was recently made aware of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addict. Not only is language like this hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners and employees - it does not align with the values of HGTV," the statement read. "Accordingly, we have removed the series from all HGTV platforms. We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion across our content and our workplace."

In the wake of the controversy, Curtis addressed her followers via Instagram Story, sharing a more personal note. "There is more to this, but my family comes first and I need to be mom right now more than anything else," she wrote. "I will take the time to be as I've always been with you, transparent and honest. TMZ called me as I had just turned my phone on after being at school - I said this briefly - but there is more ..."

Following the incident, Warner Bros. Discovery pulled the remaining planned episodes from HGTV’s schedule and removed past episodes from streaming platforms HBO Max and Discovery+. This move effectively ended the show's run on the network amid the backlash.

Prior to the scandal, Rehab Addict was already experiencing delays and programming challenges, but the racial slur controversy accelerated its cancellation. The show's future now remains uncertain as the network and Curtis navigate the fallout from these events.