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Monday, January 16, 2017

Smackdown: Jennifer Holliday backs out of Trump inauguration performance

Broadway star Jennifer Holliday has backed out as a performer at next week's presidential inaugural, saying she did not realize that her participation would be interpreted as a statement of support for President-elect Donald Trump.

Holliday, best known for her Tony-winning role in Broadway's "Dreamgirls," faced pressure from her gay, lesbian and black fans when it was announced she would sing at a Thursday concert at Washington's Lincoln Memorial.

Holliday said in a statement Saturday that she apologized for her lapse of judgment, for being uneducated on the issues and causing heartbreak for her fans.

"My only choice must now be to stand with the LGBT Community and to state unequivocally that I WILL NOT PERFORM FOR THE WELCOME CONCERT OR FOR ANY OF THE INAUGURATION FESTIVITIES!" she wrote.

The performer, who most recently starred on Broadway in "The Color Purple," said she was hurt by the angry backlash, which included calls to boycott her music. Others called her "Uncle Tom" and there was even a suggestion that she take her own life.

"It just really made my heart drop to my feet," Holliday said. "How could I have this much hate spewing at me, and I haven't even done anything? I guess it's not like those old days when political views were your own and you had freedom of speech.."

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18 comments:

Anonymous said...

No great loss. Ask her again in four years.

Anonymous said...

Lovely.
Maybe she is awakening to the 'tolerant' attitudes of her dear friends.
Too bad she caved in to them.

Anonymous said...

Way to see through to your commitments! She must have been living under a rock to not believe that her decision was going to be perceived as supporting the next president. If the LGBT community was sooooo understanding then shouldn't it accept she committed to performing the inauguration? They don't like when people hate but they sure don't have a shortage of it themselves!

Anonymous said...

Better yet, don't.

Anonymous said...

COWard.

Anonymous said...

To start with, if I had hate spewed at me, it would drive me to perform for sure.
And what does the LBGT have to do with it. It was said they supported and voted for the good man.

Anonymous said...

Who cares? Lest her head get too big, I don't know anything about her, other than randomly hearing her name. Means nothing to me.

Anonymous said...

She is a puppet of the entertainment industry...for the record I have no idea who she is.

Anonymous said...

Good riddance. Watch her career go downhill now...

Anonymous said...

She seems not to understand that the "people she respects" are the ones spewing terrible hate. Are those the people she really wants to cater to?

Anonymous said...

Never even Heard of her......who cares about her !!!!

Anonymous said...

That would be LGBT Democrats. Don't lump everyone together with the same rainbow colored brush.

Anonymous said...

Bye Felicia!

Anonymous said...

I'm with 2:03. My values are my values, and if you don't hold them, well you are not with me.

Anonymous said...

Just the opposite will happen.

Anonymous said...

You claim you have no idea who she is, yet somehow seem to have "proof" that she is a puppet of the music industry. How is that possible??? Stop trying to make chicken salad out of the chicken sh-- that is this inauguration.

bayman said...

9:05. Pack your bags. You're not welcome here. Hater.

bayman said...

Isn't this thing a man? Sure looks like a man.