Candace Cameron Bure explained in a Wall Street Journal interview on Monday (Nov. 14) that she left the Hallmark Channel to make Christmas movies for Great American Family because the people behind the company “were Christians that loved the Lord” and that her GAF movies will “keep traditional marriage” at the center. This didn’t sit well with many, including Hilarie Burton. “Bigot,” Buron, 40, tweeted when sharing a story about Cameron Bure’s comments. “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.”
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. https://t.co/X70aO4WIcB— Hilarie Burton Morgan (@HilarieBurton) November 15, 2022
“Now they’re just openly admitting their bigotry,” continued Hilarie in her post, when sharing a quote from Great American Family’s CEO, Bill Abbott. “I called this shit out years ago when Abbott was at Hallmark. Glad they dumped him. Being LGBTQ isn’t a ‘trend.’ That guy and his network are disgusting. You too, Candy. There is nothing untraditional about same-sex couples.”
Now they’re just openly admitting their bigotry.
I called this shit out years ago when Abbott was at Hallmark. Glad they dumped him.
Being LGBTQ isn’t a “trend”.
That guy and his network are disgusting. You too Candy. There is nothing untraditional about same-sex couples. https://t.co/38XIg5XeMP— Hilarie Burton Morgan (@HilarieBurton) November 14, 2022
The “trend” remark Burton referred to came from a comment Abbott gave to the WSJ. “It’s certainly the year 2022, so we’re aware of the trends,” he said, per Deadline. “There’s no whiteboard that says, ‘Yes, this’ or ‘No, we’ll never go here.'”
GLAAD agreed with Hilary’s view, releasing a blistering statement through its president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “It’s irresponsible and hurtful for Candace Cameron Bure to use tradition as a guise for exclusion,” the statement read, per Just Jared. “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. As the company’s Chief Creative Officer, her statement is harmful and insulting to LGBTQ employees, as well as employees with LGBTQ friends and family. If GAC Family’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.”
“My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them,” Candace, 46, said in the interview. She switched to GAF in April after more than ten years and thirty movies at the Hallmark Channel. “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,” she said. She will now create content for GAF under the “Candace Cameron Bure Presents” banner. “I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” she said, adding that her films will not be “off-putting to the unbeliever or someone who shares a different faith.”
The former Fuller House star said she left Hallmark because “it basically is a completely different network than when I started because of the change of leadership.” Hallmark said in return that they “want all viewers to see themselves in our programming and everyone is welcome.” Hallmark will air The Holiday Sitter this season, its first movie with a main LGBTQ+ storyline.
Candace Cameron Bure’s first movie for GAF will be A Christmas… Present, which sees her play real estate agent Maggie Larson, described by GAF as “an overly scheduled real estate agent and Type-A mom who takes her family to spend Christmas with her widowed brother and his daughter. Maggie and her brother have decidedly different expectations for the holiday. Through a series of transformative events, Maggie learns to embrace the reason for the season.” (h/t PEOPLE)