Candace Cameron Bure has ruffled a lot of feathers with her controversial comments on traditional marriages…
And it’s had a ripple effect on her new network, Great American Family…
As Neal Bledsoe has announced his exit.
He recently shared his support for the LGBTQ+ community in conjunction with his resignation.
Keep reading to find out more…
Everyone knows Candace Cameron Bure.
She’s best known for her role as DJ Tanner in the sitcom Full House.
During her early days in the industry, she appeared in a number of television commercials and played guest roles.
But only got her big breakthrough in 1987.
After Full House, Bure went on to land a role in the movie Punchline.
She then played the lead role of Summer Van Horne in the TV series Make It or Break It.
In 2014, Bure appeared as a contestant in the reality show Dancing with the Stars.
She finished third.
Bure then went on to direct 3 episodes of Fuller House.
She also starred in many Hallmark Channel holiday films, including 2017’s Switched for Christmas and the title role in the film adaptation of the Aurora Teagarden novel series.
Recently, Bure left Hallmark and cited a desire to focus on her own channel.
And stated her support for traditional marriage.
However, Bure has received backlash for her controversial comments.
And people have shared their thoughts on Twitter…
One wrote: “for someone who grew up with 3 dads on tv, candace cameron bure’s homophobia is beyond embarrassing.”
Another commented: “Good morning to everyone but Candace Cameron Bure. You’re such a disappointment. Homophobia is not welcomed here.”
“The fact Candace Cameron Bure left Hallmark because it’s now making LGBT+ movies makes me howl. God forbid should they be inclusive after literal years of only hetero movies,” a third wrote.
It’s clear her comments have rubbed people up the wrong way.
In a recent interview, Bure explained her decision to start doing holiday movies for the new channel…
And praised the network as being filled with “Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good family entertainment.”
She went on to criticize Hallmark…
Calling it “a completely different network than when I started because of the change of leadership…
Adding that same-s*x couples likely wouldn’t be featured in Great American Family’s programming.
Yikes!
“I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” she told The Wall Street Journal.
Bill Abbott, chief executive of Great American Media, who used to head Hallmark, spoke out about her comments.
“It’s certainly the year 2022, so we’re aware of the trends,” he said.
“There’s no whiteboard that says, ‘Yes, this’ or ‘No, we’ll never go here.'”
Bure and Abbott’s comments quickly went viral on Twitter and received a tonne of criticism…
Including from Hilarie Burton.
Back in 2019, Burton claimed she walked away from a Hallmark movie after she “insisted on an LGBTQ character, an interracial couple and diverse casting.”
But she said that was allegedly denied.
“I was polite, direct and professional,” she said at the time.
“But after the execs gave their notes on the script and NONE of my requests were honored, I was told ‘take it or leave it.’ I left it and the paycheck.”
“S****y being penalized for standing up for inclusivity. I really wanted that job. It was close to my house. It paid really well. It was about the military, which you all know I hold dear.
“But? Id walk away again in a heartbeat. The bigotry comes from the top and permeates the whole deal over there.
“I’ve been loudly cheering for @lifetimetv all year because they heard my concerns + RALLIED! You want inclusive Christmas magic?!
“We got it. Love is love.”
Burton added that thanks to her husband, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, working “his a** off,” she had the “luxury to choose morals over paying bills.”
And she acknowledged not everyone has the same privilege.
“If I had to cover our mortgage and was told ‘take it or leave it,’ I’d be f****d.”
Burton also pointed out the hypocrisy of Bure and Abbot’s comments…
“Bigot. I don’t remember Jesus liking hypocrites like Candy.
“But sure. Make your money, honey. You ride that prejudice wave all the way to the bank,” she wrote.
“Now they’re just openly admitting their bigotry. I called this s**t out years ago when Abbott was at Hallmark.
“Glad they dumped him. Being LGBTQ isn’t a ‘trend.’ That guy and his network are disgustig [sic]. You too Candy. There is nothing untraditional about same-s*x couples,” Burton said.
Bure has now responded to the backlash she has received.
The Great American Family network released a statement where Bure discussed that she believes every human bears the image of God.
“I am a devoted Christian. Which means that I believe that every human being bears the image of God. Because of that, I am called to love all people, and I do. If you know me, you know that I am a person who loves fiercely and indiscriminately.
“My heart yearns to build bridges and bring people one step closer to God, to love others well, and to simply be a reflection of God’s huge love for all of us,” she said.
Bure also added that most of her views weren’t included in her interview.
“I had also expressed in my interview, which was not included, that people of all ethnicities and identities have and will continue to contribute to the network in great ways both in front of and behind the camera, which I encourage and fully support.”
She ended her statement by saying she hopes to serve God.
“The God we serve is a wildly creative and loving God. He didn’t just capture a small part of my heart, He has captured all of my heart.
“He will be reflected in everything I do and say; in my family, my work and my interactions with people from all walks of life, God’s love and God’s compassion is front and center,” Bure concluded.
While JoJo Siwa was among many who expressed disappointment about Bure’s comment, GLAAD suggested that advertisers have considered boycotting the network altogether.
“It’s irresponsible and hurtful for Candace Cameron Bure to use tradition as a guise for exclusion,” Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD’s president and chief executive, said
“I’d love to have a conversation with Bure about my wife, our kids, and our family’s traditions.”
“If GAF’s plan is to intentionally exclude stories about LGBTQ couples, then actors, advertisers, cable and streaming platforms, and production companies should take note and seriously consider whether they want to be associated with a network that holds exclusion as one of its values,” Ellis said.
However, Bure has blamed the media for using her words to promote outrage.
“It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone,” she wrote on Instagram.
“It saddens me that the media is often seeking to divide us, even around a subject as comforting and merry as Christmas movies. But, given the toxic climate in our culture right now, I shouldn’t be surprised. We need Christmas more than ever.”
Bure has since announced her first Christmas movie since she joined the Great American Family network.
“A Christmas … Present is about slowing down enough to recognize what’s right in front of our eyes,” Bure said in a statement.
“The hustle and bustle of the Christmas season will arrive before we know it but it’s through the quiet moments that we hear God speak to us, directing our path to what’s most important.”
According to reports, in the upcoming movie, the California native is set to play Maggie Larson, an “overly scheduled” real estate agent and mom who decides to spend Christmas with her widowed brother and his daughter.
While staying with her sibling, however, the busy and stressed Maggie has to relearn “the reason for the season.”
Reportedly, the network will premiere new holiday movies every Saturday and Sunday and show Christmas movies all day and night through the end of 2022.
But now it seems the network is down an actor…
As Neal Bledsoe has announced his exit following the months-long controversy.
He shared a statement detailing the reason why he is leaving the network…
And in that, shared his support for the LGBTQ+ community.
“My life wouldn’t be where it is today without the love, support, and guidance of the LGBTQIA+ community,” he said, as per Variety.
“From my mentors in college to the myriad of agents and managers, writers and directors, teachers and colleagues, and, of course, my dear friends and family, who have all touched my life, I owe them a great debt.”
He went on to say: “As someone who struggled as a young man with our society’s extremely narrow definition of masculinity, it was their community that provided me with refuge and a guiding light when my life felt lost.
“And now, if I cannot stand up for that community in their time of need, my debt to them means nothing. So, I want to be very clear: my support for the LGBTQIA+ community is unconditional – nothing is worth my silence or their ability to live and love freely in a world that we are lucky enough to share with them.”
It’s clear Bledsoe, quite rightly, feels very strongly on the matter and isn’t going to let Bure’s comments slide.
“Freedoms of speech or religion, or even the freedom to express beliefs that I might vehemently disagree with, are not the issue here. This is about someone in an executive position speaking about deliberate exclusion on behalf of an entire network,” he added, seemingly taking a swipe at Bure.
What do you think of his comments?