Plenty of celebrities are out and proud . Plenty of others are supportive of this. Not all of them, though. Here are some stars whose anti-gay views and comments have caused a stir. We can only imagine how they feel about the fact that gay marriage is now legal in all 50 states, courtesy of the Supreme Court deciding so in June of 2015. 1. The Duggar Family We can’t separate any of these reality stars out. Nearly all members of this family have made anti-gay remarks or even been paid to give anti-gay speeches. 2. Kirk Cameron Few celebrities are as vocally opposed to same sex marriage as former Growing Pains star Kirk Cameron. 3. Phil Robertson Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson ignited a national controversy with his comments to GQ about gays and gay sex. 4. Isaiah Washington Isaiah Washington got the boot from Grey’s Anatomy, and pretty much derailed his own career, by referring to then co-star T.R. Knight by a gay slur … then doing it again whilst insisting he didn’t do it. 5. Chris Brown Chris Brown has dropped more gay slurs over the course of his many scandals than we can even remember. 6. Alec Baldwin The actor got into hot water with homophobic tweets towards writer George Stark, then in a separate incident, called a photographer a “c–ks–king f–got” which he somehow said was not a gay slur. View Slideshow
Rick will offer up a simple piece of advice to his son on The Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 2 : Never let your guard down. That certainly makes a lot of sense after what our heroes and heroines went through at Terminus on The Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 1 , an hour of TV as bloody, gory and violent as any that we can recall in recent memory. AMC has not revealed much of what we can expect on next Sunday’s new installment, simply teasing in a synopsis that Rick will lead a “risky mission” when supplies run low. Check out the official network teaser now: The Walking Dead Season 5 Episode 2 Promo Looking farther ahead, meanwhile, show runner Scott Gimple tells Entertainment Weekly that we may not have seen the last of Gareth, while adding that there are “massively disgusting” things to come on Episode 2. Expect things to get complicated between Rick and Carol and prepare to meet a new character. Also, Gimple emphasizes again in the same interview: certain events and/or developments will be SUPER disgusting. Prepare accordingly. Need to watch The Walking Dead online ? You can do so at TV Fanatic. Need to take a closer look at the cast? You can do that here: The Walking Dead Season 5 Cast Photos 1. The Walking Dead Season 5 Cast The Walking Dead is returning soon to AMC! Take a look at the cast now!
Duck Dynasty star Sadie Robertson has been making quite a name for herself on a different show this season, surging to the top tier on Dancing With the Stars. The 17-year-old high school student has had plenty of support from father Willie, uncles Jase and Jep, and newly-engaged brother John Luke Robertson . Sadie Robertson and Mark Ballas – Dancing With the Stars Samba Last week, a duck call-inspired samba earned Sadie and pro partner Mark Ballas a nearly perfect score of 37 out of 40, putting her near the lead on Season 19. The routine, like everything in her life, was centered around family and faith. Sadie says her life has been turned upside down since Duck Dynasty debuted on A&E, and while it’s given her a lot of new opportunities, it has its drawbacks. “I was 14 and didn’t realize how big it was going to be,” she said of the last few years. “But there’s definitely been some bad things about being in the public eye.” “Everybody knows who you are [and] they’re looking for you to mess up,” she said. “My grandpa said some things that upset some people and the press came after him.” In that sense, family patriarch Phil Robertson casts a wide shadow. Duck Dynasty Stars Without Beards! 1. Jase Robertson: No Beard! Jase Robertson of Duck Dynasty with no beard. That was a long time ago. With Jase is his wife Missy. “My family would not be where we are without our faith. That’s what’s carried us this whole way. We put our faith in God and we like to share that with everybody.” Sadie revealed that after Phil Robertson’s comments about homosexuality to GQ magazine in December, the whole family considered quitting the show for good. They ultimately didn’t, as Phil was reinstated and two new seasons have since aired (you can watch Duck Dynasty online to see all the 2014 installments). Sadie says that family comes before fame, and always will. “The thing is, no matter what he would have said, we should have stuck by him, because he’s my grandpa,” Sadie said, acknowledging, “Yeah, he’s very opinionated.” Still, “he’s my family, and family sticks together .” Dancing With the Stars Season 19 Cast Photos 1. Dancing With the Stars Season 19: Meet the Cast The cast of Dancing With the Stars Season 19 has been revealed. Check out the stars who will be lacing up their shoes!
Not all kids can pull off an alley-oop like LeBron James’ sons . And not all babies have the patience to sit still while their parents recreate famous movie scenes in their living room and bedroom. But the one-year old in the following video has a unique skill set all her own: she can beatbox! Kind of! Sort of! And she can even bow when appropriate, as she seems to do toward the end of the footage, after earning some applause for a duet with her uncle. Watch the adorable home video now: One-Year Old Beatboxer: So Cute!
Despite much controversy over the past two weeks, Duck Dynasty will return on schedule next year, with Phil Robertson an active participant, A&E announced. The company suspended Robertson indefinitely December 18 following controversial anti-gay comments the 67-year-old made in an interview with GQ . Duck Dynasty had been on hiatus when the comments went public; the show is set to return in January and to resume filming new episodes this spring. None of that will change. The network, “after discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups,” says the show will go on. The Robertson family admitted that the anti-gay comments were coarse, but criticized the suspension and implied they would not film without Phil. Since the national controversy erupted, Phil Robertson has been defiant, reiterating his stance on gays , sin and homosexuality at a Bible study group. He has been roundly criticized by gay rights groups, but supporters began demanding his reinstatement and even planning a Chick-Phil-A Day . The network thus found itself in the midst of a PR nightmare, and ultimately decided to distance itself from Phil’s views while still bringing back the show. A&E’s statement on the decision, released Friday, reads: As a global media content company, A&E Networks’ core values are centered around creativity, inclusion and mutual respect. We believe it is a privilege for our brands to be invited into people’s home and we operate with a strong sense of integrity and deep commitment to these principals. That is why we reacted so quickly and strongly to a recent interview with Phil Robertson. While Phil’s comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the “coarse language” he used and the misinterpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article. He also made it clear he would “never incite or encourage hate.” We at A&E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article, and reiterate that they are not views we hold. Phil Robertson Suspension Lifted But Duck Dynasty is not a show about one man’s views. It resonates with a large audience because it is a show about family… a family that America has come to love. As you might have seen in many episodes, they come together to reflect and pray for unity, tolerance and forgiveness. These are three values that we at A&E Networks also feel strongly about. So after discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family. We will also use this moment to launch a national public service campaign (PSA) promoting unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people, a message that supports our core values as a company, and the values found in Duck Dynasty. These PSAs will air across our entire portfolio . And that’s that. While there may be backlash and protests as a result of its decision, A&E was going to get that regardless, and is standing by its cash cow. Do you think their statement and justification goes far enough? Or did Robertson deserve more than a wrist slap? Comment and vote in our survey below: A&E lifting Robertson’s suspension: Right or wrong? Right! Glad this ordeal is over with … Wrong! He should be off the air! View Poll »
Jesse Jackson has opted to weigh in on Phil Robertson and his inflammatory comments, calling the Duck Dynasty star worse than Rosa Parks’ bus driver. While Robertson’s anti-gay comments in GQ got him suspended by A&E and ignited a national controversy, he made other eyebrow-raising statements as well. Specifically, he said the Nazis needed Jesus, and opined that African-Americans were happier and not mistreated in pre-civil rights era Louisiana. Collectively, the interview spurred Jackson into action. “These statements uttered by Robertson are more offensive than the bus driver in Montgomery, Alabama, more than 59 years ago,” Jackson told ABC News. Why does he think Robertson’s comments are worse? “At least the bus driver, who ordered Rosa Parks to surrender her seat to a white person, was following state law,” said the 72-year-old minister. “Robertson’s statements were uttered freely and openly without cover of the law, within a context of what he seemed to believe was ‘white privilege.'” Jackson, his Rainbow PUSH Coalition and GLAAD want to meet with A&E execs, along with Cracker Barrel’s CEO, to discuss the future of the show. He wants to meet within 72 hours with A&E and Cracker Barrel, a major Duck Dynasty sponsor, to urge the network to uphold Robertson’s suspension. Jackson and GLAAD said that they believe it’s not right for a personality with such a large platform to benefit from such comments or to go unpunished. Phil Robertson: Not Sorry For Anti-Gay Comments Don’t look for an apology, however, from the religious Robertson. Sunday, he defended himself and comments about gays being sinners to his Bible study group in West Monroe, La., while hitting back at his critics. “I will not give or back off from my path,” he reportedly said. Robertson added that his GQ comments were quotes from the Bible. “I didn’t think much of it at all, but it seems a lot of other people did,” he said. Do you agree with the suspension of Robertson? Yes, obviously. He was way over the line. Maybe. I can see why A&E decided to. No way. He’s just stating his opinions, people! View Poll »
The Duck Dynasty cast released a statement in support of suspended star Phil Robertson, implying that they can’t go forward with the show without him. “We are in discussions with A&E to see what [this] means for the future of Duck Dynasty,” the family statement said of Phil Robertson’s suspension . “We have had a successful working relationship with A&E but, as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm.” Duck Dynasty Cast Issues Statement, Stands By Phil Robertson The family defended Robertson’s comments and stressed that they are a “family rooted in our faith in God and our belief that the Bible is His word.” “While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible,” the family said. “Phil is a Godly man who follows what the Bible says are the greatest commandments: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Phil would never incite or encourage hate.” The Robertson family said it has “spent much time in prayer” since learning A&E had suspended Phil over anti-gay comments he made in GQ . The family also criticized A&E for its actions , saying he was placed on hiatus “for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.” Indeed, he sparked a national debate on religion and tolerance in an interview in which the reporter asked him what he considered to be sinful behavior. The 67-year-old Robertson, who fans of the show know is very religious, said: “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men.” The Duck Commander found then paraphrased Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes. the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers …” “They won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.” Whatever you think of Robertson’s comments, they drew immediate condemnation from gay rights groups who pressured the network to take action. On Wednesday, A&E announced Phil was suspended indefinitely, saying: “We are extremely disappointed to have read Phil Robertson’s comments in GQ, which are based on his own personal beliefs and are not reflected in the series Duck Dynasty.” “His personal views in no way reflect those of A&E Networks, who have always been strong supporters and champions of the LGBT community.” “The network has placed Phil under hiatus from filming indefinitely.” A&E’s decision to pull Robertson from the hit show drew strong support from the gay and lesbian rights groups, but criticism from many others. Duck Dynasty drew 11.8 million viewers in August for its Season 4 premiere, making it the highest rated cable series EVER … and fans aren’t happy. Not just because they like the show, either. They’ve made him a cause celebre. Phil Robertson Suspension, Anti-Gay Backlash Duck Dynasty: Phil Robertson Under Attack Over Anti-Gay Comments Many public figures, including Glenn Beck , accuse the network of discrimination, violating Phil’s religious beliefs and violating his First Amendment rights. A&E is private company, of course, and can fire whomever its wants … the question is whether the network will forgive, forget and deal with the backlash. If they bring Phil back, the cast will likely resume filming, and many fans will be pleased, yet certain factions of the population will likely be upset. If they don’t, others will be upset. Clearly, A&E is up against it right here. YOU TELL US: Should Phil Robertson have been suspended? Yes, obviously. He was way over the line. Maybe. I can see why A&E decided to. No way. He’s just stating his opinions, people! View Poll » Should A&E pull the plug on Duck Dynasty? Yes. There’s no going back from this low point … No! Bring back Phil and quack on! View Poll »
Might there be hope yet for Jelena? In a recent interview, Justin Bieber said he was left heartbroken by Selena Gomez and that he will always love his ex-girlfriend. And now Life & Style alleges that Gomez and Bieber may soon be neighbors in Calabasas! Selena Gomez to Be Neighbors with Justin Bieber? “Selena is very close to making an offer on a house inside the Calabasas development where Justin lives,” a source tells the tabloid. “She looked at other neighborhoods but really fell in love with a home near Justin’s.” Of course, with an ex living so nearby, it could be difficult for Justin to throw more naked beer pong and stripper -based parties. Then again, it would increase the possibility of him getting back together with the young woman he proclaims to still adore. So, will Justin welcome this move by Selena? It doesn’t matter, Gossip Cop reports. A source close to the young artist tells that site Gomez is not looking in Bieber’s neighborhood, much less “next door.” Oh well. That rumor was fun while it lasted.
In response to Jean-Claude Van Damme’s epic split for Volvo in a recent commercial that went viral, Chuck Norris has done him one better … or 11 better. With CGI help, it would appear. But still. Chuck Norris! Boo-yah! The action star appears in a holiday video from Hungarian animation firm Delov Digital, in which he reenacts Van Damme’s split between two jets. And with 11 soldiers on his shoulders, to boot. Check it out! Chuck Norris: The Epic Christmas Split! It’s unclear if Norris worked with Delov on this, though one imagines he at least signed off on his likeness being utilized? The firm hasn’t commented. Either way, it appears to be inspired by Chuck Norris Facts, the classic parody website listing Chuck’s achievements (or at least it’s perfect fodder for it). For example, did you know the Bermuda Triangle used to be known as the Bermuda Square until Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked one of the corners in?! When you think about that, this split is just modestly epic.
