--- title: Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres Address Kim Burrell Homphobia description: Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres addressed Kim Burrell's homophobic comments when Pharrell appeared on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' canonical: https://time.com/4623920/pharrell-ellen-degeneres-discuss-kim-burrell/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-05T19:12:01.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T07:12:37.192Z og:title: Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres Address Kim Burrell's Anti-Gay Comments og:description: "I don't want anyone to feel hurt because they're different" og:url: https://time.com/4623920/pharrell-ellen-degeneres-discuss-kim-burrell/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4e7d913998fdfaca/6988b47d8fd2ee5a64355517/ellen-degeneres-pharrell-kim-burress.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2000 og:image:height: 1125 og:image:alt: Pharrell Williams Honored With Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres Address Kim Burrell's Anti-Gay Comments twitter:description: "I don't want anyone to feel hurt because they're different" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4e7d913998fdfaca/6988b47d8fd2ee5a64355517/ellen-degeneres-pharrell-kim-burress.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Watch Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres Discuss Kim Burrell's Homophobic Comments > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=543f35f4-c03c-48a6-88fa-05a5e11d5f35&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres Discuss Kim Burrell's Homophobic Comments [Watch (HLS stream): Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres Discuss Kim Burrell's Homophobic Comments](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BN8dfclq.m3u8) (2:01)  _Published 2017-01-05. Singer Pharrell and Ellen DeGeneres discuss gospel singer Kim Burrell's homophobic comments._  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jan 5, 2017 7:12 PM UTC  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jan 5, 2017 7:12 PM UTC After [footage of gospel singer Kim Burrell’s use of the word “perverted” in reference to gay people and “the homosexual spirit”](http://time.com/4620832/kim-burrell-homophobic-comments/) during a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT5gpBaFpaw) of a sermon that surfaced last week, people wondered whether or not she would still appear on _The Ellen DeGeneres Show_, where she was slated to perform the song “I’ve Seen a Victory” from the film _Hidden Figures_ alongside Pharrell. In a pair of videos posted to Facebook Live last Friday, Burrell did not take back her words, but said that her words had been misrepresented by her “enemies” who had posted only a portion of her original sermon. “To every person that is dealing with the homosexual spirit, that has it, I love you because God loves you,” she said. “But God hates the sin in you and me, anything that is against the nature of God.” [DeGeneres announced on Tuesday that Burrell would not be performing](http://time.com/4621356/kim-burrells-ellen-degeneres-anti-gay-sermon/); instead, on Thursday’s show, Pharrell showed up to have a discussion with DeGeneres about love and acceptance in light of Burrell’s comments. “There’s no space, there’s no room for any kind of prejudice in 2017 and moving on,” Pharrell said. [Both Pharrell and Janelle Monáe (who stars in the film) condemned hate speech](http://time.com/4620832/kim-burrell-homophobic-comments/) following the backlash to the footage of Burrell. [DeGeneres emphasized that feeling discrimination because of her sexual orientation](http://time.com/4373508/ellen-degeneres-finding-dory-movie/) has given her empathy when it comes to showing others love and acceptance. “As someone who has received a lot of hate and prejudice and discrimination because of who I choose to love,” she said. “It gives me more empathy. I don’t want anyone to feel hurt because they’re different.” Watch the full clip below. ## Transcript We have to talk about this before we go. There was, you were supposed to do a different song, Yeah. and you were supposed to perform it with a singer that I actually didn't her, her name is Kim Burrell, Yeah. And she made a statement, she was doing a Facebook Live and she said some Very not nice things about homosexuals. Yeah. So, I didn't feel like that was good of me to have her on the show, to give her a platform after she is saying things about me. So I'm gonna let you talk about it for a minute. Well there's no space, there's no room for any kind of prejudice in 2017 I'm moving on like there's no. [ CROSSTALK ] Yeah. We'll all have to get used to everyone's differences and understanding. This is a big gigantic beautiful colorful world. And it only works with inclusion and empathy. It only works that way. [ CROSSTALK ] Yep. To me when I say be kind with one another, I feel that because As someone who has received a lot of hate and prejudice and discrimination because of who I choose to love. I just don't understand anyone who has experienced that kind of oppression or anything like that. It only gives me more compassion, it gives me more empathy. I don't ever want anyone to feel Hurt or because they're different. Whenever you see something. Whenever you hear some sort of hate speech and you feel that it doesn't necessarily pertain to you because you may not have anything to do with that. All you got to do is put the word black in that sentence or put gay in that sentence or put transgender in that sentence or put White in that sentence. And all of the sudden it starts to make sense to you. I'm telling you the world is a beautiful place but it does not work without empathy and inclusion. And God is love. This universe is love. 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