Christian actress Candace Cameron Bure decried cancel culture as she shared her experiences with it in a recent episode of her podcast.
In a Dec. 13 episode of “The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast” with co-host Bianca Juarez Olthoff, the television star told listeners that she has taken her share of “punches” in the entertainment industry for being vocal about her faith.
Bure, who grew up in the limelight as a childhood star on the sitcom “Full House” and starred in several Christmas movies as an adult, said that she has faced ups and downs in the industry from as far back as she can remember.
“There have been some recent challenges in my life that I have really not publicly discussed yet. If you read the news or certain types of weekly magazines, or even Instagram, you’ll have seen my face pop up in multiple articles from last year and this year. And a lot of them are really negative,” the 47-year-old mother of three said.
“I’ve never taken those types of punches before. I’ve taken punches before in my industry, but it was at a level I hadn’t experienced yet, and it’s been very challenging. It’s been an ongoing challenge. I think because I believe strongly in what I believe and lead with my faith, and I’m not afraid or shy or afraid of it, I think that most people that don’t know me well and personally think that my skin is a lot thicker that it is. And its not. It’s gotten thicker over the years, but I’m still developing that.”
Within the last year, she said she has had “a lot of these bullets kind of hit me” that have presented her with a “really big challenge” to her career, relationships and character.
“I remember being so upset over it. Like, how do you recover?” she asked. “I’ll just say it: cancel culture is very real, and they were trying to cancel me.”
Bure received scrutiny in late 2022 after she hinted at the idea that the Great American Family platform, where she signed on as chief content officer last year, would prioritize showing traditional marriage over LGBT storylines in its content.
“I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” she told The Wall Street Journal in November 2022.
Celebrities and Bure’s co-stars criticized her, and some distanced themselves from the network following Bure’s statement.
In her podcast, Bure said she wasn’t “shy” or “ashamed” of her faith. However, she said hearing negative comments did not come easy for her.
Bure said her brother, fellow actor Kirk Cameron, kept her grounded and edified when she needed it most by telling her she is now part of the “James 1 Club.” The Scripture states that Christians are to “take joy when their faith is tested because it produces perseverance and spiritual growth and maturity.”
“That James 1 Club has been really important for me because I faced some trials that I haven’t faced before. I know they are still going to come. They are still there. They are waiting for me.”
“I could have bailed and just said, ‘You know what? I’m totally done with this,’ or ‘I don’t want to be a public figure anymore,'” Bure added.
Bure said she never intended for controversy to arise or to tell anyone how to live their lives when she made comments about marriage. However, she came to the understanding that Christian public figures who live according to their convictions must be ready to face criticism from society.
“You have to be ready for some of those fiery darts to be thrown at you in a bigger public platform,” she said.
