Gospel singer Kim Burrell was set to join Pharrell Williams for a performance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week, until Ellen uninvited her.
Ellen confirmed on twitter yesterday that Burrell would not appear on her show to sing “I See Victory” with Pharrell from the upcoming film Hidden Figures.
For those asking, Kim Burrell will not be appearing on my show.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) January 3, 2017
The reason why Ellen cancelled her appearance? A tape of Burrell preaching at the Love & Liberty Fellowship Church went viral online. She proceeded to make homophobic remarks including that “the perverted homosexual spirit, and the spirit of delusion and confusion…has deceived many men and women.” She also referred to specific homosexual acts–quite graphically–as perverted.
It’s no wonder that Ellen, who is openly gay, decided to cancel the appearance. It’s one thing to believe “homosexual acts” are a sin, it’s another to use religion to demonize an entire group of people.
Meanwhile, Burrell reacted to the controversy with the typical “I don’t hate the person, I hate the sin” which is a defense that makes no sense. Hating who a person essentially is, is hating the person, period. Burrell posted her apology on Facebook, in two separate videos, which were eventually deleted:
“I never said LGBT” in the sermon, Burrell said in the first video. “I said S-I-N.”
“To every person that is dealing with the homosexual spirit, that has it, I love you because God loves you,” she said. “But God hates the sin in you and me, anything that is against the nature of God. I’m called to do what God called me to do, and that’s it, and I do it with passion.”
In the second video she added: “Never said that all gays were going to hell. That never came out of my mouth. … I said people who operate with that spirit in the church with deception and attack themselves are going to have to face the master.”
Pharrell seemingly addressed the controversy in an Instagram post without namechecking Burrell:
Incredibly, Burrell also collaborated with openly bisexual musician Frank Ocean on his latest album. His mother, Katonya Breaux tweeted that she wants the gospel singer removed from his latest album, Blonde:
Me: Son, can we crop Kim Burrells voice out of your song??
— katonya breaux (@katonya) January 1, 2017
I mean damn. Hypocrisy and the inciting of hate pisses me off. Opportunistic &?%#€!!
— katonya breaux (@katonya) January 1, 2017