Great American Family CEO Bill Abbott supports Candace Cameron Bure’s star power — but that doesn’t mean he thinks she’s a spokesperson for the network.
“We’re proud to have her here, and she works so well with the team alongside me, and we have a really talented and dedicated team that’s committed to high-quality faith and family content,” Abbott, 61, told Variety of Cameron Bure, 47, in an interview published on Wednesday, October 25. “In terms of her personal views, it’s like the disclaimer you see at the end of a movie or a series that says, ‘The views reflected here are not necessarily those of the company.’”
He explained: “Candace has such a high profile that when she speaks, she’ll speak on a lot of topics, and she has a wonderful podcast that is fantastic. But when she speaks on that, she’s not speaking on behalf of Great American Media.”
Still the Christmas season guru? Candace Cameron Bure shocked fans in April 2022 when she announced that she was leaving Hallmark Media for Great American Media. The Full House alum starred in 10 holiday films for Hallmark Channel during her 13 years with the network, earning her the title of “Queen of Christmas” from viewers […]
Cameron Bure raised eyebrows in November 2022 when she claimed that Great American Media, which is the parent company of Great American Family, wouldn’t be including LGBTQ+ story lines like its direct competitor Hallmark Media. Instead, she alleged to WSJ. Magazine that the network would focus on “traditional marriage” and faith-based features.
“I wouldn’t say whether it’s a matter of agreeing or not,” Abbott said when asked about Cameron Bure’s past comments. “Candace is chief content officer and has a point of view, and she is leading the way in the areas I mentioned before in such a skilled way that we definitely rely on her judgment and what she thinks is going to resonate best.”
Abbott, who is also the president of Great American Media and its corresponding channels, insisted that he will “support [Cameron Bure] in every way that I can.” However, he once again claimed Cameron Bure’s personal beliefs aren’t always in complete alignment with the company’s. (Cameron Bure, meanwhile, addressed the backlash via Instagram in November 2022, writing, “It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend or hurt anyone,” denying claims that she was a “bigot.”)
The holiday season is coming a little early this year — cough, October, cough — thanks to Great American Family’s 2023 Great American Christmas movie kickoff. Cameron Candace Bure and daughter Natasha Bure are two of the many stars headlining the 20 new Christmas-themed films, which will begin airing on Great American Family Saturday, October 14. […]
“Candace is great and leading the way in the business part of it. So we support her in that,” Abbott said, noting that the actress’ role as chief content officer for Great American Media makes it “tricky” at times to know where she “fits organizationally.”
Abbott confessed that his team “should have talked about this topic” with Cameron Bure but didn’t. “Candace speaks for her own brand when she is talking to the world at large,” he added. “When Candace talks about something, obviously she has a lot of other audiences and platforms.”
Although Abbott played coy about whether the network would eventually add same-sex story lines, he claimed, “We are for all people. We are for just a sense of love and peace in the world, and we are deeply committed to inspiring and uplifting.”
Candace Cameron Bure has found herself caught up in several feuds with fellow celebrities. While cohosting the View from 2015 to 2016, Bure made headlines for her debate with Raven-Symoné over an Oregon bakery that took a stand against supporting gay marriage. At the time, the That’s So Raven star argued that the bakers were […]
That’s where Cameron Bure shines, according to Abbott. “With PureFlix, [our streaming partner], she’s just a natural for the faith-based space,” he explained. “She’s our secret weapon. I’d put her executive ability up against anybody, including mine.”
Furthermore, Abbott argued that the Full House alum’s choice to leave Hallmark in April 2022 and come to Great American Media is part of what’s made Great American Family have a 150 percent uptick in viewership from 2022 to 2023. “The big one was Candace Cameron Bure. Having her profile, the popularity she has and the impact of social media — all those things are huge,” he said.
Abbott gushed: “She works harder than any human being on the planet. … Given her length of time in the business and her experience, she’s been just absolutely spectacular. She’s been better arguably for us organizationally, behind the camera, than she is even in front of the camera, to give you an idea of how good she is.”