Kim Burrell has opened up, saying she is “disappointment” in fellow gospel singer Yolanda Adams’ critique of her controversial sermon that many say was homophobic.
During a visit to Tamron Hall Thursday, Burrell, 50, discussed the 2016 sermon wherein she commented on the “perverted homosexual spirit. “
She also called out Adams for calling her out publicly and inadvertently helping those who want to “cancel” her.
“I was disappointed because we’ve all shared the same stage, back rooms, and green rooms, and some of their public display in conversation is somewhat opposite of what it is behind stage,” Burrell said. “I would’ve much preferred, especially dealing with gospel, Yolanda Adams, we’re both from Houston, Texas, to pick up the cell phone and say, ‘Hey, I have a career to save, and I can’t agree with your stance right now, I need to say something different to my public.’ I would’ve preferred that.”
Burrell feels she wasn’t given a fair chance to explain her views, saying, “No one has ever interviewed me about what it is I’m offended by and why should it matter. A reaction from a community that says, ‘we’re extreme on love,’ didn’t respond in love, in thinking that I was being deliberate to hurt.”
“Truth hurts. I was standing there preaching what I know is the truth. I have to stand on the truth, no matter what. I can be criticized for it, I can be so-called ‘canceled’ for it.”
After a clip from the sermon made its way to Ellen DeGeneres, the daytime TV host slammed Burrell, deeming the speech “not nice,” and then canceled Burrell’s scheduled appearance on the show.
“I didn’t feel that was good of me to have her on the show to give her a platform after she was saying things about me,” DeGeneres said on her show. “There’s no room for any kind of prejudice in 2017, and moving on. There’s no room.”
Burrell also lost her radio show over the sermon.
According to the Houston pastor, Jamie Foxx reached out to DeGeneres on her behalf.
“No one has reported that my friend Jamie Foxx felt the need to call Ellen and say, ‘You got this one wrong. She has been more to our community than what the world is willing to see, and we don’t think that the extreme of canceling her from a show was a proper response compared to what she’s done for our community.’”
