Actress Candace Cameron Bure has responded to the backlash against her comments in support of “traditional marriage.”
Many know Bure for her 30+ Hallmark movies. She left the channel to help launch the Great American Family channel in 2021. She talked to the Wall Street Journal about the new venture this week. The outlet asked her if GAF would follow Hallmark and feature same-sex couples in its holiday movies. Bure said the channel planned to concentrate on “traditional marriages.”
The backlash was swift. The likes of JoJo Siwa and Bure’s former Full House co-star, Jodie Sweetin, criticized her stance. Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of GLAAD, blasted the actress, saying: “It’s irresponsible and hurtful for Candace Cameron Bure to use tradition as a guise for exclusion.”
Related: JoJo Siwa and Candace Cameron Bure officially enter Round Two of their feud and the gloves are off
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“It absolutely breaks my heart”
Yesterday, Bure hit back. She issued a statement to People, basically blaming the media.
“All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people,” she said.
“It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone. 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.”
She added, “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.”
“I love you”
“To the members of the media responsible for using this opportunity to fan flames of conflict and hate, I have a simple message: I love you anyway,” Bure continued.
“To those who hate what I value and who are attacking me online: I love you. To those who have tried to assassinate my character: I love you. To everyone reading this, of any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling, I love you.”
“I have long wanted to find a home for more faith-based programming. I am grateful to be an integral part of a young and growing network. 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.”
Oh, but she didn’t stop there.
“I’ve never been interested in proselytizing through my storytelling, but in celebrating God’s greatness in our lives through the stories I tell,” Bure said.
“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.
“All of that comes from the LOVE that God himself showered upon humanity when he gave the gift of joy and forgiveness on the first Christmas morning 2000 years ago. It is why I love Christmas stories and sharing true joy and true peace with millions of people around the world.”
“And in the sole motivation of pure love, I hope you’ll join me in sharing God’s hope for all the world this Christmas season. Call that my Christmas wish.”
Stars blast Candace Cameron Bure for her comments
Bure’s words are unlikely to stem the criticism. Yesterday, The Walking Dead star, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, added his voice. Morgan’s wife, Hilaria Burton, was among those to already criticize Bure. Morgan tweeted a message supporting his wife’s criticism of Bure (“Who the f**k is this person?”).
How’d I miss this twit?! Who the fuck is this person? Hey Hil? You’re awesome. We lucky to have ya. X
— Jeffrey Dean Morgan (@JDMorgan) November 15, 2022
Meanwhile, gay actor Jonathan Bennett is soon to star in The Holiday Sitter. It marks Hallmark’s first holiday movie with a gay couple as the lead characters.
Related: Jonathan Bennett speaks out on this unhealthy thing so many gay men do
In a podcast with People this week, Bennett praised the channel for its inclusivity.
“What I love so much about Hallmark Channel is the care they take in the quality of telling the story, especially when it involves LGBTQ+ people, it’s handled with so much respect,” he said.
“If they don’t know something or they’re having a question on what we should do for a certain scene, they ask, they say, ‘Hey, everyone’s opinion, what is everyone LGBTQ+ members of the creative team, what do you guys think is the right move here?’ And they listen and they are just so supportive and handle it so well.”
Bure might want to take note.
@fatcarriebradshawAt least she’s not running for Congress! (Yet )♬ original sound – Fat Carrie Bradshaw
Vince
Hope the Christers sign up with your shitty throw up worthy channel in masse because burning the bridges down sure ain’t gonna help you down the road. Lol
quantum
That’s the thing with cable–more than half of all pay-tv customers in the U.S. are already signed up for their crappy channel whether they like it or not.
m
“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.”
? Mahatma Gandhi
gayconservative
Y’all need to get a life. WTF cares what she does. This obsession with people who don’t bow down to the LGBT agenda is sickening. Let it go and focus on bigger issues facing LBGT people…….like how you can be truly as tolerant as you claim
Vince
Everyone has the right to say whatever they think. That doesn’t mean they’re free from criticism. You should understand that more then anyone since saying stupid shit on this site is your stock and trade.
Mack
@Vince, you nailed it.
RoyM
Oh for God’s sake. Can’t you find a website where you actually belong? There has to be a number of neo-fascist sites that you can go on and whine, why come to Queerty? How about you slither off to the stinking, right-wing crap pile you came from? No one wants you here (probably nowhere else either).
still_onthemark
“Who gives a f v c k about Christmas?” – Melania Trump
PubicHairus
I quote this year-round.
Creamsicle
Channels and platforms lile this have been attempted in the past. There is just not a big enough market for it.
It’s her and her shareholder’s money to burn though. If she is VERY lucky and gets some VERY talented people, she might be able to grow the company fast enough to sell it off and let whoever was dumb enough to take it off her hands to deal with their poor development strategy.
I don’t care what she does so long ad she doesn’t ask for the government to bail her out of a bad business plan.
seven5tx
Damn, does this mean she won’t hook up with Luke MacFarlane in a Christmas movie. Her brother could be played by Billy Eichner. They could do a whole I caught daddy blowing Santa Claus scene.
Joseph1971
Don’t watch her network, don’t give her attention. CANCEL CULTURE. Just ignore anything she produces, don’t watch it or support it.
dbmcvey
Yes Candace, we do know you. And we know what “traditional marriage” means.
Jimmynj
She and her brother are bigots. They can keep their subpar acting in subpar movies on a network destined to fail. I certainly will never watch anything she is in.