Nick Cannon hosts "Nick Cannon @ Night," one of two shows he helms for the podcast network Wondery.

NEW YORK – Nick Cannon, the multi-hyphenate entertainer, has as many kids as Taylor Swift has albums. But the father of 12 doesn't take vacations.

"I love my job so much that it's just like, every time I have a gig, that's a vacation to me," Cannon, 45, tells USA TODAY from the set of his podcast "We Playin' Spades." Cannon typically tapes in Los Angeles but at the moment is getting ready to record a show from the Bronx, New York. "With my personal life always being so just on the go all the time, sometimes being on set is like the calmest part of my day."

"We Playin' Spades," which Cannon cohosts with comedian Courtney Bee, is one of two shows he helms for podcast network Wondery. The second, "Nick Cannon @ Night," is the host's twist on the late-night TV format. The show is taped in a swanky Hollywood restaurant and features experts who give advice to callers about love, sex and relationships.

Late-night TV shows have been a topic du jour between Paramount's cancellation of CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and Disney's temporary suspension of ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

"I don't think any format is dead," Cannon says. "Are you going to have one of the major corporations support it? Maybe. Do you need them to? No. I think people will always want to be entertained, always want to be informed. And when you have talent that can do that at a high level, the audience will come in droves."

Cannon previously served as an executive at Teen Nick, the teen-focused Nickelodeon spinoff channel owned by Paramount. While he still works with Paramount on his long-running show "Wild 'n Out," which currently airs on VH1, his experience on both sides of the microphone inform how he views the dynamics of creating content.

"If you watch how the advertising business is shifting before our eyes, and especially now with AI, in the next two years we're not even going to recognize what we used to call television," he predicts. "The power of AI is going to shift so many things that we're going to have to figure out, 'How do we still entertain? How do we still inform? How do we still be authentic?'"

Nick Cannon explains how he was diagnosed with a narcissistic 'disorder'

In addition to his aforementioned gigs, Cannon hosts a show called "Counsel Culture" that dives into deeper social and political waters. His experience with the show offered a revelation.

"I just found out there was a lot of stuff that I probably needed to get checked out," Cannon says. He sought out Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychologist who specializes in brain disorders. "I thought you go get a brain scan and I'm going to be a genius. My brain's going to be exceptional. It was, like, the opposite."

Cannon also says that in various relationships, he has been referred to as a "narcissist." That led him to another psychologist and a few weeks of "intense" testing. A month later, the results revealed that Cannon was "definitely" a narcissist, but it also helped him reframe the meaning of the term.

"Another thing that (doctors) would share with me, they said they believe that one in three people are narcissists," he continues, noting that according to his psychologist, narcissism isn't a "yes or no" but instead is judged on a spectrum. "(The term) is embedded in your mind as a negative thing, but some of our greatest individuals ever have a lot of that self-importance, that entitlement in certain spaces of believing that they are the best at whatever they do."

According to what Cannon learned, a lack of empathy in relationships and rage are on the far end of the spectrum. The host says he was not diagnosed with either trait. But it was Cannon's relationship with his children that motivated him to continue this multi-year health journey.

"You want to come from a place of peace, love, complete understanding, and you got to do the work on yourself to get there," Cannon explains. "At least for me, I feel like I deal with my children in such a humble way. Whether it's counseling, therapy, even my physical health, I feel like it's gotten a lot better because of my children."

Nick Cannon reveals the 'very expensive tradition' he has with his kids

Cannon says his "We Playin' Spades" podcast is a place for "comedic jousting," similar to what people expect tuning in to "Wild 'n Out." And he sets the tone from the start, introducing himself with a number of self-appointed nicknames including "Mr. A-Lot-of-Kids" and "Rev. Dressy Jackson." Cannon says he's used self-deprecating humor since he started standup comedy as a teenager.

"I don't know any other type of comedy," he continues. "But over the years, it's been super therapeutic because I beat anybody to the punch."

Cannon even jokes about the "very expensive tradition" and that he started with his children. Every year, each one gets to celebrate their birthday at Disneyland. Of his 12 kids, five were born between September and December. Cannon says he's "probably in Disneyland more than anybody" that part of the year.

During that time period, Cannon also marks his own birthday. He turns 45 on Oct. 8.

"I think 45 for our generation is a little different than 45 for our parents or even our grandparents' generation," Cannon says. "You're as young as you feel and I feel great."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nick Cannon gets candid on narcissism and this 'expensive tradition' with his 12 kids

Reporting by Ralphie Aversa, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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