Great American Family CEO Bill Abbott is speaking out about Candace Cameron Bure’s controversial “traditional marriage” comments.
In a new interview with Variety, Abbott revealed that he doesn’t think the Full House alum is a spokesperson for the network.
“We’re proud to have her here, and she works so well with the team alongside me, and we have a really talented and dedicated team that’s committed to high-quality faith and family content,” Abbott said.
“In terms of her personal views, it’s like the disclaimer you see at the end of a movie or a series that says, ‘The views reflected here are not necessarily those of the company.'”
“Candace has such a high profile that when she speaks, she’ll speak on a lot of topics, and she has a wonderful podcast that is fantastic,” he added.
“But when she speaks on that, she’s not speaking on behalf of Great American Media.”
Bure courted controversy last year when she told the Wall Street Journal last year that the network “will keep traditional marriage at the core” of its movies.
There was immediate backlash, with various celebrities criticizing Bure’s stance.
“Bigot. I don’t remember Jesus liking hypocrites like Candy,” One Tree Hill alum Hilarie Burton said on Twitter.
“But sure. Make your money, honey. You ride that prejudice wave all the way to the bank.”
Neal Bledsoe, who has appeared in several GAC Family movies, cut ties with the network in the aftermath.
“As someone who struggled as a young man with our society’s extremely narrow definition of masculinity, it was their community that provided me with refuge and a guiding light when my life felt lost,” Bledsoe shared in a statement to Variety.
“And now, if I cannot stand up for that community in their time of need, my debt to them means nothing.”
“So, I want to be very clear: my support for the LGBTQIA+ community is unconditional – nothing is worth my silence or their ability to live and love freely in a world that we are lucky enough to share with them.”
“I hope GAF will change, but until everyone can be represented in their films with pride, my choice is clear,” Bledsoe added.
“I look forward to working with creators who put no limits on the stories we tell and follow through on their message of values with open arms.”
Abbott said that he “wouldn’t say whether it’s a matter of agreeing or not” with Bure’s comments.
“Candace is chief content officer and has a point of view, and she is leading the way in the areas I mentioned before in such a skilled way that we definitely rely on her judgment and what she thinks is going to resonate best,” he added.
Abbott didn’t commit to including LGBTQ+ couples in the network’s fare going forward.
“We’re not seeking to do anything or not do anything, and we take every day as it comes,” he told Variety.
“This business is so challenged across the entire industry right now… we’re just looking to celebrate great stories.
“We don’t have an agenda either way. It’s not in the faith-and-family playbook to have agendas that are either pro or anti.
“We want to entertain and inspire and be uplifting and consistently provide an experience that is high quality — that is our most important objective.”
After her initial comments, Bure shared a lengthy statement saying she had “great love for and affection for all people.”
“It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone,” she said in an Instagram statement.
“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.”
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.