Candace Cameron Bure faced backlash over her comments on her move to GAF. (Photo: Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
Actress-turned-TV executive Candace Cameron Bure says cancel culture is real.
“And I know there’s all the places in the world, all different countries, where people get severely persecuted for their faith. I feel like we’ve had this cushion here in North America, where, you know, someone yells at us or someone says a mean, negative thing and our feelings get so hurt over it, and that isn’t nearly the persecution that a lot of other people go through for being a Christian in other countries,” Bure said on Wednesday’s episode of the Unapologetic With Julia Jeffress Sadler podcast. “Nevertheless, cancel culture is real, and it’s difficult, and it’s hard, but listen, I just want to encourage you that you are not the only one and there are lots of us.”
Bure was sharply criticized in November for her comments in an interview with the Wall Street Journal about the reason that she was leaving Hallmark, the network where she had starred in holiday movies for years, for a new rival, Great American Family, which was being led by Bill Abbott, a former boss at Hallmark’s parent company, who left that company after refusing to air a commercial featuring a same-sex couple. Bure’s departure also came just as Hallmark had scheduled the debut of its first original holiday film featuring an LGBTQ love story, The Christmas Sitter, starring Mean Girls actor Jonathan Bennett.
“I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” Bure told the newspaper.
In just one negative reaction, actress Hilarie Burton called Bure a “bigot.”
“I don’t remember Jesus liking hypocrites like Candy,” Burton wrote on social media. “But sure. Make your money, honey. You ride that prejudice wave all the way to the bank.”
Jodie Sweetin, who had been close to Bure over the years after portraying her little sister on both Full House and its revival series, Fuller House, even supported a social media post that JoJo Siwa made calling out Bure, who promptly unfollowed her on-screen sibling.
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Candace Cameron Bure and Jodi Sweetin attend a Hallmark Channel event on July 26, 2018 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo: Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images)
Bure, who held onto her job, eventually responded to the blowback:
“All of you know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people,” wrote, in part. “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 sent love to those who “hate what I value and who are attacking me online” and had “tried to assassinate my character.”
On the podcast, when the host asked Bure for her advice for people coming to Hollywood, she was excited about the prospect.
“Well, first of all, if you are interested in the arts or entertainment, yay!” Bure said. “We need you, we need you. Come, come, come.”
Bure said there are plenty of Christians working in entertainment, but some are less outspoken.
She was asked to advise others who are trying to “share their truth.”
“It’s hard, no matter what. Especially when you are a compassionate person and you have a heart for people,” Bure said. “But it’s important that we speak truth in love, ’cause, listen, nobody’s gonna change, nobody’s gonna even listen to you when it comes out angry, when it comes out in a harsh way, but it’s important that we don’t back down.”
The former D.J. Tanner said she’s encouraged by what she sees in her three adult children, whom she shares with husband Valeri Bure.
“I’m so proud of them for really sticking to truth and knowing the gospel and being willing to share that,” she said, “because I know it takes bravery, especially in the time we’re living today.”
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