Ellen DeGeneres: Kim Burrell Will Not Appear on Show
Ellen DeGeneres confirmed Tuesday that Kim Burrell, the gospel singer and pastor who recently came under fire for her homophobic sermon, will not appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday.
Burrell was slated to perform “I See a Victory,” the track she contributed to the Hidden Figures soundtrack with Pharrell Williams. However, DeGeneres wrote on Twitter, “For those asking, Kim Burrell will not be appearing on my show.”
For those asking, Kim Burrell will not be appearing on my show.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 3, 2017
The singer faced a backlash after a YouTube video posted on Dec. 30 showed Burrell delivering a sermon at the Love & Liberty Fellowship Church in Houston, where is a senior pastor. In the clip, Burrell condemns homosexuality as “perverted” and an “embarrassment.”
Following the video’s viral spread, many fans urged DeGeneres to rescind Burrell’s invitation with a flood of tweets and a Change.org petition that has garnered nearly 5,500 supporters.
Williams and Hidden Figures stars Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe were set to appear on the program with Burrell. On Saturday, the trio denounced Burrell’s comments and spread messages of inclusion via social media, though Burrell herself has refused to apologize. In a now-deleted Facebook Live video, she defended herself and claimed she had to “do what God tells me to do. I make no excuses or apologies.”
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