Jodie Sweetin, best known for her role as Stephanie Tanner on the television show Full House, has expressed disappointment that her upcoming film, Craft Me a Romance, will be airing on Great American Family. This cable channel is also the home of Sweetin’s former Full House co-star, Candace Cameron Bure.
In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, Sweetin revealed that she was not aware that her romantic comedy would be airing on Great American Family. She was surprised to learn through press reports that the independent film she worked on over a year ago was sold to the channel. Sweetin expressed her disappointment with the situation but also reiterated her commitment to supporting the LGBTQ+ community. As a result, any potential or future money made from the sale of the film will be donated to LGBTQ+ organizations.
Great American Family made headlines last year when Candace Cameron Bure announced that “traditional marriage” would be the focus of the stories featured on the channel. This was in contrast to the Hallmark Channel, where Cameron Bure’s Christmas rom-coms had recently included LGBTQ characters. During an interview with The Wall Street Journal in November, Cameron Bure stated that Great American Family would keep traditional marriage at its core. She explained that the channel’s creators were Christians who aimed to promote faith programming and good family entertainment.
Cameron Bure made the move to Great American Media, the parent company of Great American Family, in April 2022 after working with Hallmark for over a decade. She cited the shared vision of creating wholesome content for the whole family as her motivation for the switch.
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Great American Family recently announced that Craft Me a Romance, starring Jodie Sweetin, is set to air on September 16th. The film follows Sweetin’s character, the owner of an arts and crafts store, as she faces pressure from the head of a competing company to sell her business or face closure.
Jodie Sweetin and Candace Cameron Bure both rose to fame as child stars on Full House. They reprised their roles on the Netflix revival series, Fuller House, which concluded in 2020.
In December, the Hallmark Channel aired its first holiday rom-com featuring LGBTQ characters, titled The Holiday Sitter. This marked a significant step towards diversity for the network. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, openly gay actor Luke Macfarlane, who has starred in multiple romantic features for Hallmark Channel, praised the network’s efforts to include LGBTQ content and mentioned that they have been actively working to broaden the diversity of their cast.
The controversy surrounding the airing of Craft Me a Romance on Great American Family highlights the ongoing debate over representation and diversity in the entertainment industry. While Hallmark has taken steps towards showcasing diverse stories, Great American Family has chosen to focus on traditional marriage. Jodie Sweetin’s decision to donate any proceeds from the film to LGBTQ+ organizations demonstrates her commitment to supporting inclusivity and equality.
