Candace Cameron Bure continues to face criticism for her partnership with the faith-based network Great American Family
The Full House alum, 46, had a long-running relationship making holiday movies for the Hallmark Channel, but ditched the network in April — ahead of it releasing its first gay-led holiday film — for a role with the new cable channel. This week, while promoting her upcoming Christmas movie on GAF, she explained that she ditched Hallmark for the new network it promises to “keep traditional marriage” — between a man and woman — “at the core.” Her comments have sparked backlash, initially from Hilarie Burton and JoJo Siwa, and it continues.
Jonathan Bennett, who stars in the Hallmark movie The Holiday Sitter featuring the same-sex romance, is one of the celebrities and LGBTQ advocates speaking out.
“I’m just proud to be part of Hallmark channel that is doing so much inclusive programming like The Holiday Sitter, which is an LGBTQ+ led Christmas movie,” the Mean Girls actor, who married Jaymes Vaughan earlier this year, told E! News on Tuesday. “I’m just so proud to be on Hallmark channel that’s making these movies for everyone, because Christmas is for everyone and Hallmark channels are for everyone.” He added that the film has “so much heart” and “humor” and predicts audiences will love it.
GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) has issued a statement about Bure’s “irresponsible” same-sex marriage comments.
“It’s irresponsible and hurtful for Candace Cameron Bure to use tradition as a guise for exclusion,” GLAAD’s President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “I’d love to have a conversation with Bure about my wife, our kids, and our family’s traditions. Bure is out of sync with a growing majority of people of faith, including LGBTQ people of faith, who know that LGBTQ couples and families are deserving of love and visibility.”
Ellis called Bure’s comments “harmful and insulting” to the company’s LGBTQ employees as well as employees with LGBTQ friends and family.
“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 wrote.
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
— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) November 16, 2022
and seriously consider whether they want to be associated with a network that holds exclusion as one of its values.
— Sarah Kate Ellis (@sarahkateellis) November 16, 2022
Bure’s TV sister Jodie Sweetin joined the conversation by throwing support Siwa’s way. “You know I love you,” she wrote to the singer, who came out in 2021, after she slammed Bure for creating “a movie with [the] intention of excluding LGBTQIA+” people.
Bure’s gotten support from her 24-year-old daughter, Natasha Bure, who praised her for “continuously choosing Christ before all.”
Bure’s controversial comments appeared in a Wall Street Journal story that was published on Monday. She spoke in her capacity as chief creative officer of Great American Family.
“My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them,” Bure said. “I knew that the people behind Great American Family were Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good family entertainment.”
Burton, of One Tree Hill fame, saw a headline with Bure’s comments and called her a “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.”
Siwa then entered the conversation, writing on Instagram, “Honestly, I can’t believe after everything that went down just a few months ago, that she would not only create a movie with intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press. This is rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.”
“Everything that went down” was a reference to Siwa and Bure making headlines earlier this year after Siwa posted a TikTok video calling the Fuller House alum the “rudest” celebrity she’s ever met after a past encounter. They later spoke privately.
In April, it was reported that Bure had left the Hallmark Channel, after 14 years as the unofficial queen of Christmas due to her countless holiday movies, for the role at Great American Family. She’ll produce religious titles under the “Candace Cameron Bure Presents” banner, and is involved in content creation and curation across many genres.
Bure recruited Lori Loughlin, the Full House actress involved in the college admissions scandal, for movie on the network. She also brought over Danica McKellar, who is best known as Winnie Cooper from The Wonder Years.
Bure will star in A Christmas… Present for GAF premiering Nov. 27.
