Outcry from celebs and activists as Hallmark pulls same-sex couple advertisements
- The Hallmark Channel pulled ads from the wedding planning website Zola that featured two brides kissing at the altar
A decision by Hallmark Channel last week to pull advertisements featuring same-sex couples has prompted reactions from thousands of Twitter users as well as comedian Ellen DeGeneres, California Governor Gavin Newsom and streaming company Netflix.
Under pressure from the conservative group One Million Moms, the Hallmark Channel pulled ads from the wedding registry and planning website Zola that feature two brides kissing at the altar.
The One Million Moms website says the group has “personally spoken with Crown Family Networks CEO Bill Abbott” who confirmed Hallmark pulled the commercial and said the advertisement aired in error.
Crown Media Family Networks, the parent company of Hallmark Channel, did not immediately reply to a Reuters request for comment.
In an email to Reuters on Sunday, a Hallmark Channel spokeswoman wrote: “Crown Media Family Networks made the decision to pull the commercials. The debate surrounding these commercials on all sides was distracting from the purpose of our network, which is to provide entertainment value.”
On Saturday, Ellen DeGeneres tweeted to her 79.1 million followers: “Isn’t it almost 2020? @hallmarkchannel, @billabbottHC … what are you thinking? Please explain. We’re all ears.”