Soon after Union's controversial firing was revealed, celebrities began rallying behind her and slamming NBC. 2020 presidential hopeful Julián Castro praised Union for speaking out, tweeting, "Corporate America tells employees and consumers they take racism and sexism seriously. But often the person reporting the problem is hurt by management. Kudos to @itsgabrielleu for having the courage to speak out. Still waiting for answers from @nbc."
Grey's Anatomy's Ellen Pompeo echoed Castro's thoughts in a series of tweets, writing, "I support @itsgabrielleu's commitment to speaking up to injustice. It takes courage." The ABC leading lady went on to address the importance of solidarity among women in workplaces, possibly referring to Hough's denial of issues with NBC. "Workplace cultures will continue to be toxic until there is unity and solidarity among all women. If you go for self in these moments you undermine the work we are out here trying to do," she wrote.
NBC stars Debra Messing and Jameela Jamil also chimed in online, as well as Ariana Grande and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Union responded in a tweet thanking everyone for their messages. "Just when you feel lost, adrift, alone... you got me up off the ground," she wrote.
On Dec. 2, Howard Stern weighed in on the controversy, specifically calling out creator and judge Simon Cowell on his treatment of past female judges. "He sets it up that the men stay, no matter how ugly they are, no matter how old they are, no matter how fat they are, no matter how talentless they are," he said on The Howard Stern Show. Stern served as an AGT judge for four seasons from 2012 through 2015 and added that he believes it's "obvious" that the series consistently switches out female judges for "hotter chicks and younger chicks."