Lacey Chabert, JoJo Siwa, Hilarie Burton, and other celebrities are reacting to the controversy surrounding the new network Great American Family, which is backed by Candace Cameron Bure, who says the channel’s movies will focus on traditional families with a mom and a dad.
Cameron told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published on November 14 that her departure from Hallmark was due to a “change in leadership,” and that the network was “completely different than when I started.”
On December 22, Chabert responded to Vulture “Any change I’ve noticed has been an embrace of our creative ideas. I’ll never forget what Hallmark means to me: that everything revolves around the heart. I don’t believe there are any plans to change that anytime soon.”
On November 15, YouTube star Siwa, 19, expressed her outrage on Instagram, calling Bure’s comments about traditional marriage “rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.”
“I can’t believe that after everything that happened just a few months ago, she would not only create a movie with the intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but also talk about it in the press,” Siwa wrote, captioning a screenshot of an EDGE Media Network article titled “Candace Cameron Bure’s Plans for New Cable Channel: No Gays.”
Candace Cameron Bure said what?
The EDGE story cites a Wall Street Journal interview with Bure in which she reiterated her belief that the “Great American Family” will keep traditional marriage at its core.
During a discussion about inclusivity on the channel in October, Bure, 46, told USA TODAY that Great American Family would “have people of all ethnicities,” but would “focus on traditional families.”
“We certainly don’t want to be like any other network, and I know Great American Family will emphasise tradition,” she said.
She also stated that the network will “lean into the faith element,” adding that means “more storytelling about the Christian faith and talking about God. And not just making a general statement about God, but actually discussing Jesus and the specifics of the Christian faith.”
Candace Cameron Bure responds to backlash over ‘traditional marriage’ remark
Bure said in an Instagram statement on Nov. 16 that she has a “great love and affection for all people” and that “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 so often seeks to divide us, even over something as comforting and joyful as Christmas movies,” she said. “But, given the current toxic climate in our culture, I shouldn’t be surprised. Christmas is more important than ever.”
Bure added as an example “”Every human being bears the image of God,” she believes. As a result, I am called to love all people, which I do. If you know me, you know that I love fiercely and without discrimination.”
Bure didn’t name anyone who criticised her in her statement, instead sending a “simple message: I love you anyway.”
Bure went on: “I love those who despise what I value and who attack me online. I love those who have attempted to assassinate my character. I love everyone who is reading this, regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling.”
Candace Cameron Bure left Hallmark for what reason?
Bure was a Hallmark regular for 14 years, starring in 30 movies including “Let It Snow, “Christmas Under Wraps,” “A Christmas Detour,” “Journey Back to Christmas,” “A Shoe Addict’s Christmas,” “Christmas Town,” “If I Only Had Christmas,” and “The Christmas Contest.
She announced her departure from the network in April. “The truth is that I’ve been under contract with Hallmark for a long time. And they’ve been absolutely fantastic. My contract was about to expire when Great American Family was founded “Bure revealed her decision to Variety in September.
What exactly does she do at Great American Family?
The actress was given the opportunity to help shape Great American Family, a network co-founded by Bill Abbott, the former president and CEO of Hallmark Channel’s parent company, who created the popular Countdown to Christmas programme.
“It’s more than just being an actress on the channel or even producing movies,” she said last month. Bure and Abbott hadn’t decided on a formal role yet, but she described her responsibilities as “Creating content for the entire channel. I’m involved in programming and development.”
When asked about representation, Abbott stated, “we always want to be inclusive, and it’s certainly an area of focus.” There are no storylines involving same-sex couples in this year’s holiday movie lineup.
What happened before with Candace Cameron Bure and JoJo Siwa?
This is not the first time Siwa has mentioned Bure. In July, the actress-singer called Bure the “rudest celebrity” she’d ever met for refusing to pose for a photo with her at a “Fuller House” premiere when she was 11 years old. Siwa described the incident to Page Six as follows: “She refused to take a picture with me at the afterparty, which was fine with me. But then I turned around, and when I looked back, she was taking pictures with other kids, which irritated me greatly.”
Bure said she was taken aback by Siwa’s comments in an Instagram video and immediately reached out to her through a mutual friend, her publicist, and a direct message. Bure apologised to Siwa and described their conversation as “great.”
Bure went on to say that the two were “joyful for one another in that we are both positive, encouraging people.”
“I told JoJo how much I’ve always appreciated her because she’s been a good role model because of her positivity throughout her entire life and career,” Bure said. “So we had all the feels, and everything was fine, and there was no drama.”
