Not only will viewers not be watching gospel singer Kim Burrell on the Ellen DeGeneres show Thursday, they also won't be listening to Burrell on the radio.
Texas Southern University pulled the plug on "Bridging the Gap," Burrell's radio show which had its debut on KTSU in June.
"The Kim Burrell show is no longer airing as part of KTSU Radio programming," said TSU in a statement reported by the Associated Press.
Just before Burrell was scheduled to perform a duet with Pharrell Williams on the Ellen DeGeneres show, a video began circulating online of the singer preaching at Love & Liberty Fellowship Church, the church she founded in Houston.
In the video, Burrell made references to "the perverted homosexual spirit," and referred to sexual acts between people of the same gender as perverted.
By Tuesday, DeGeneres had cancelled Burrell's appearance on the show. Burrell performs a song on the soundtrack for "Hidden Figures," the much talked about movie which depicts the true story of three black women who worked at NASA and helped launch John Glenn into space. Williams wrote the song on which Burrell is featured.
The two had previously performed the song "I See a Victory" in December on the "Today" Show and "The Tonight Show."
"Hidden Figures" is expected to perform well over the weekend despite the Burrell controversy, possibly finishing second only to "Rogue One," in box office returns, but Williams and film co-stars Octavia Spencer and Atlanta-based Janelle Monae shared their distaste for Burrell's views on social media.
As if all of this isn't enough, at least one person is hoping for Burrell's voice to be erased.
Katonya Breaux, mother of Frank Ocean -- a singer and rapper who has in the past acknowledged his attraction to men -- asked on Twitter if her son could just "crop Kim Burrells voice out of your song?"
About the Author
