JoJo Siwa is speaking out after Candace Cameron Bure confirmed that her new network, Great American Family, will air Christmas movies that focus on “traditional marriage.”
The 19-year-old dancer responded to Bure’s comments in an Instagram post on Tuesday, Nov. 15. Siwa shared a photo of an article published by Edge Media — a network that focuses on LGBTQ news — that said there would be “no gays” on Bure’s cable channel.
“Honestly, I can’t believe after everything that went down just a few months ago, that she would not only create a movie with intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press,” Siwa said in the caption.
She continued, “This is rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.”
Multiple celebrity friends commented on Siwa’s post and supported her, including Bure’s “Full House” co-star Jodie Sweetin.
Sweetin wrote, “You know I love you,” and added two red heart emoji.
Fellow “Dance Moms” alum Maddie Ziegler chimed in and said, “Go off jojo!!!!!!!”
Actor Hilarie Burton also weighed in on Twitter and called Bure a “bigot.”
In response to a tweet about Bure’s interview, Burton had a message for the “Fuller House actor” and Bill Abbott, the former CEO of Hallmark’s parent company Crown Media who now is chief executive of Great American Media.
“There is nothing untraditional about same-sex couples,” Burton said.
In another tweet, the “One Tree Hill” star addressed Bure directly and wrote, “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.”
Bure’s statement about the plans for Great American Family’s content came from an interview with The Wall Street Journal published on Monday, Nov. 14.
The actor was asked if viewers can expect to see same-sex couples featured in her channel’s holiday films.
“I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” she replied.
After appearing in nearly 30 films on Hallmark, Bure left the network earlier this year and became chief creative officer at Great American Family. Her first holiday-theme movie for the channel, titled “A Christmas… Present,” will air later this month.
“My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them,” she told the Journal. “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.”
Siwa’s reaction to Bure’s remarks follows a back-and-forth between the two on social media earlier this year.
In July, Siwa made headlines when she posted a TikTok video where she revealed the “rudest” celebrity she has ever met. The “So You Think You Can Dance” judge held up her phone to show a photo of Bure.
The next day, Bure spoke about the controversy on Instagram and said she reached out to Siwa to resolve any issues between them.
Bure claimed the two chatted on the phone and had “a great conversation.”
The 46-year-old shared that she originally met Siwa at a “Fuller House” premiere when the social media star was just 11 years old.
Bure explained that Siwa asked for a picture and she responded, “Not right now,” before continuing down the red carpet and snapping photos with other people.
The actor said she apologized to Siwa on the phone and that everything was “good on the JoJo front” at the time.
However, she cautioned viewers “to be mindful” of what they post online because “words matter and our actions matter.”
On July 27, the “So You Think You Can Dance” judge told PageSix she “had a bad experience with Bure.”
“I think it just was an inconvenient time for her, and little 11-year-old me was just so pumped up and so excited, but that doesn’t mean she’s the worst human ever,” Siwa said. “It just, you know, was a rough experience for me.”
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis called Bure’s comments “irresponsible” and “insulting.”
“If (Great American 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,” Ellis said in a statement.