Candace Cameron Bure is one of the most beloved ’90s stars in Hollywood, but she’s found herself in the middle of several controversies over the years.
The Full House veteran has been outspoken about being a conservative Republican in the entertainment industry, which often leans left on political issues. In October 2021, the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries actress said that she felt “pressure” to represent conservatives on TV when she was a panelist on The View.
“The stress and the anxiety — I actually have a pit in my stomach right now,” she said on the “Behind the Table” podcast, recalling her time on the talk show from 2015 to 2016. “There was only one type of stress that I’ve ever felt in my life, that came from that show. And I [have] PTSD, like, I can feel it. It was so difficult, and to manage that emotional stress was very, very hard.”
After Donald Trump won the presidency in November 2016, the Switched for Christmas star decided that defending her political positions would become even more difficult. She ultimately left the show one month after the election.
“I did not want to be the punching bag for the next four years in that conservative seat,” she said on the podcast. “I just didn’t want to. And it wasn’t worth it to me. It wasn’t worth my mental health, which was already suffering, so it was a very easy decision.”
The Faith of Our Fathers star also faced backlash during the coronavirus pandemic, thanks in part to the activities of her brother, Kirk Cameron. After the Left Behind actor drew criticism for hosting Christmas caroling events during the lockdown, Cameron Bure took to social media to defend her sibling.
“I did not attend any recent caroling events. Also, I choose to follow the greater guidelines by wearing a mask and social distance when I’m in public,” she tweeted in December 2020. “However, I don’t appreciate the vile tweets about my family. I believe respectful dialogue is the key to being heard. Stay safe 🎄.”
One month later, she clapped back after reading negative comments about who she follows on social media. At the time, her Instagram account showed that she followed over 1,100 people, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, Melania Trump and Candace Owens.
“A follow does not mean an endorsement,” she said in a January 2021 video posted to her Instagram Story. “It just means I follow a broad range of people so that I have perspective. I want to know what’s going on in the world, I want to hear different sides of the argument. I follow people in entertainment that I don’t necessarily agree with or act the same way, but I want to hear what our society, what culture is dishing out.”
Keep scrolling for a look back at Cameron Bure’s most controversial moments over the years.
Wedding Cake Discrimination
In July 2015, the former Hallmark actress made headlines when she seemingly defended an Oregon bakery that refused to make a cake for a lesbian wedding. “I don’t think this is discrimination at all. This is about freedom of association,” she said during a debate on The View. “It’s about constitutional rights. It’s about First Amendment rights. We do have the right to still choose who we associate with.”
Her then-cohost Raven-Symoné cut her off. “I refuse to associate with you right now,” the Masked Singer alum said. Cameron Bure continued to claim that the bakery was in the right, saying: “They didn’t refuse to bake the cake because of [the couple’s] sexual orientation. In fact, they baked cakes for them previously. They had a problem with the actual ceremony because that — the ceremony — is what conflicted with their religious beliefs. They are saying that they stand for marriage between a man and a woman.”
‘Not Today, Satan’
RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio called out the Fuller House alum for wearing a shirt with the drag queen’s catchphrase — “Not today, Satan” — on it. “IF ONLY, THIS HOMOPHOBIC, REPUBLICAN KNEW,” the reality star wrote via Instagram in March 2017 alongside a repost of Cameron Bure’s photo.
The California native defended her sartorial choice in the comments of Del Rio’s post, writing: “Why do you have to be nasty to me? You don’t know me or my heart. I’m not homophobic and always sad when people think otherwise. Loving Jesus doesn’t mean I hate gay people or anyone. You sent a bunch of hateful people to my page writing horrible things. I hope next time you’ll spread love and kindness, even when you disagree with people. Sending you love and wish you all the best. Truly.”
