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New York Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Inside Chip and Joanna Gaines' same sex couple scandal – and whether the ‘Fixer Upper' brand will survive it
The Bible Belt is bringing about a reckoning on Chip and Joanna Gaines. The home renovation superstars sparked backlash for featuring a gay couple on their new reality show 'Back to the Frontier.' Conservative Christian leaders like Reverend Franklin Graham – son of late star evangelist Billy Graham – and podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey both slammed their decision, with Graham calling the casting 'very disappointing.' Sources told The Post Chip and Joanna have a tough position to negotiate – satisfying the demands of an increasingly diverse audience across the US and growing their network while staying true to their faith and fanbase. 9 Home renovation superstars Chip and Joanna Gaines sparked backlash for featuring a gay couple on their new reality show 'Back to the Frontier.' FilmMagic Graham was clear in his stance, writing: 'His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman.' This prompted Chip to pour gasoline on the controversy by tweeting: 'The way of 'modern American Christian culture' is 'Judge 1st, understand later/never.' ' The remark was seen as a rebuke of conservative Christians, who claim the 'Fixer Upper' duo for their own. A source close to Chip and Joanna – who cast married couple Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs and their 10-year-old twin sons on 'Back to the Frontier' – says they have long been inclusive people. 9 Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs with their sons, who were featured on Magnolia Network's 'Back to the Frontier.' Sources told The Post Chip and Joanna have a tough position to negotiate – satisfying the demands of an increasingly diverse audience across the US and growing their network, but also staying true to their faith and fanbase. 2_dallas_dads/Instagram 9 Conservative Christian leaders like Reverend Franklin Graham (pictured) and podcaster Allie Beth Stuckey both slammed Chip and Joanna Gaines for the decision to feature a gay couple on their show. Ron Sachs – CNP for NY Post 'It's uncomfortable for a super traditional audience to come to terms with … [Chip and Joanna] don't live their life the way a traditional conservative evangelical population does,' the source told The Post. 'They've never been concerned with what people think in that capacity – they believe in what's right. 'They believe in what they believe in, if you're traditional minded and you don't believe in that, then that's your prerogative.' The TV couple – parents to five children ranging between 20 and seven in age – are active members of the traditionally conservative Antioch Community Church of Waco. 9 Graham was clear in his stance, speaking for the evangelical Christians who make up a big part of Chip and Joanne's fanbase. @Franklin_Graham/X 9 Chip poured gasoline on the brewing controversy with his incendiary Tweet. @chipgaines/X A source close to the church says this leads evangelical Christians to feel the couple are 'theirs.' 'It's the bible belt — you have a lot of conservatives, a lot of religious people. They see it as [Chip and Joanna] sold out. [Like] some LA director told them to put this gay couple in and they did it for the money,' the second source, who also once worked with the couple, speculated. However, the source also added Antioch would have no problem with the casting. 'They're a pretty progressive church. They wouldn't condemn them for having a gay couple on their show.' 9 Married couple Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs and their 10-year-old twin sons on 'Back to the Frontier,' the show which has sparked all the backlash. 2_dallas_dads/Instagram Magnolia takes Waco Chip and Joanna ricocheted to stardom with their home renovation HGTV show, 'Fixer Upper,' in 2014. It followed the pair's home renovation and redecoration business centered around Waco, Texas, where they turned run-down homes into souped-up modern living spaces. The pair soon built an empire – including a five-acre shopping complex, Magnolia Market, the Magnolia Press coffee shop, the Silos Baking Co. bakery and Magnolia Table restaurant. It catapulted the small Texas town into one of the state's top tourist destinations almost overnight. 9 Over the years, people have noticed Chip and Joanna's lack of diversity in their shows and criticized them for failing to feature LGBTQ+ couples previously. Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery 'The only thing people knew Waco for was Baylor University and David Koresh and the Branch Davidians [cult]. Chip and Joanna brought another positive aspect to Waco,' one source told The Post, although they noted success also brought a downside to the small town. 'There were more and more tourists, people got more and annoyed at the traffic. It was less convenient. [But] most people still have positive feelings about them,' the source added. After launching their lifestyle brand including books, apparel, furniture and design, the pair pulled the plug on 'Fixer Upper' with HGTV in 2017. 9 'The accusations that get thrown at you, like 'You're a racist' or 'You don't like people in the LGBTQ community — that's the stuff that really eats my lunch, because it's so far from who we really are. That's the stuff that keeps me up,' Joanna Gaines told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021. Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images The following year, they teamed up with Discovery Inc., to start their own network, born and bred in their central Texas town. They have since launched a string of shows such as 'Fixer Upper: Welcome Home', 'Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse' and 'Fixer Upper: The Hotel.' However, a third source told The Post they haven't hit the same stride and created a blockbuster like their first show. 'Their network hasn't been the explosive success Discovery hoped for. None of the shows has been a breakout,' a source noted. Fans and Faith Over the years, people have noticed Chip and Joanna's lack of diversity in their shows and criticized them for failing to feature LGBTQ+ couples, something they have previously defended against. 'Sometimes I'm like, 'Can I just make a statement?' Joanna told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021. 9 The first industry source says the backlash faced over the casting on the 'Back to the Frontier' show isn't going to tear down the empire Chip and Joanna Gaines have built. 'The accusations that get thrown at you, like 'You're a racist' or 'You don't like people in the LGBTQ community' — that's the stuff that really eats my lunch, because it's so far from who we really are.' However, sources say their current spat isn't going to tear down the empire they've built. 'How they're dealing with the backlash? You have two people who feel proud to stand on what they actually believe in. It's not keeping them up at night,' the industry source added.
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Chip Gaines responds to backlash after featuring same-sex couple on new show
HGTV stars Chip and Joanna Gaines' new Magnolia Network recently featured a same-sex couple on their series 'Back to the Frontier.' The show, which also streams on HBO Max, features families as they 'leave the 21st century behind to live as 1800s pioneers.' IMDb describes the series as a 'bold social experiment that will test their strength, stamina, and sense of humor.' One of the families featured on the show is the Hanna-Riggs family, which features dads Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs and their 10-year-old twin sons. After the show's premiere on July 10, son of evangelical pastor Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his thoughts on the show. 'I hope this isn't true, but I read today that Chip and Joanna Gaines are featuring a gay couple in their new series. If it is true, it is very disappointing,' his tweet read. 'While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God's Word. His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.' Chip Gaines seemingly responded to the backlash with a post of his own, defending the Hanna-Riggs family and others like them. 'Talk, ask (questions), listen.. maybe even learn,' Chip Gaines wrote. 'Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never. It's a sad Sunday when 'non believers' have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian.' In response to Chip Gaines' tweet, conservative social commentator Joel Berry wrote, 'You'll see no hate from me. I'm just sad. I can't let my kids watch your show now, since I'm trying to protect their eyes and hearts from the lies of the world—lies you're now participating in.' 'Also, filter out some of the online vitriol and consider taking to heart some of the substantive concerns and heartbreak from the Christians who make up your fanbase,' Berry continued. 'We should love the sinner—that doesn't mean we celebrate and promote the sin and participate in the multibillion dollar industry dedicated to destroying the family.' 'Don't be sad Joel,' Chip Gaines wrote in response. 'Plenty of other stuff out there. I'm sure everyone will be fine. BUT I sincerely appreciate the advice about taking some of the thoughtful, heartfelt, encouraging constructive criticism to heart.. and I certainly will.' Chip and Joanna Gaines launched Magnolia Network in 2022. Following the backlash, Hanna told Queerty that he is 'super honored that when they were choosing three modern-day families, they did choose a same-sex couple as a modern-day family, because we are. We are your neighbors and your co-workers.'
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Chip and Joanna Gaines enjoy date night amid backlash
Chip and Joanna Gaines are stepping out for date night amid fan backlash for casting a gay couple on their new Magnolia Network series. The home improvement A-listers went to an Eric Church country concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado with a group of friends, according to a July 15 post on Instagram by the "Mini Reni" star. "What a night✨ The choir, the instruments, the music, the venue—what an incredible show @ericchurchmusic," Joanna Gaines posted. "We love the new album Evangeline Vs The Machine!" The post was set to lyrics from Church's single "Hands of Time" off his new album released in May that explores creativity versus the world's conformity. Chip, Joanna Gaines cast a gay couple. Then came the backlash. On her Instagram story, Gaines also posted a thinly veiled reference to critics using lyrics from the title track off of Church's 2006 debut album "Sinners Like Me." "On the day I die, I know where I'm going to go; Me and Jesus got that part worked out, I'll wait at the gates 'til his face I see and stand in a long line of sinners like me," she shared, adding a praying hands emoji to the post. The Gaineses also shared July 15 that they helped raise $1 million for the Texas Hill Country flooding victims alongside corporate partners. The former HGTV stars, who have long been vocal about their Christian faith, have angered some viewers in recent days as their new show "Back to the Frontier" features a same-sex couple. "Frontier" (Thursdays, 8 ET/PT), which premiered this month on HBO Max and their own Magnolia Network, follows several families as they attempt to live life like frontiersmen in the 1800s. Among the families taking on the challenge is the Hanna/Riggs clan from Texas, comprised of married couple Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs and their 10-year-old twin sons. Why Joanna Gaines cried over frontier reality series: 'I'm not a crier, but I felt it' On July 12, Franklin Graham – the powerful evangelist and son of pastor Billy Graham, one of the most famous faith leaders in American history – called the choice to cast the family "disappointing." But Chip Gaines hit back, responding to criticism with a Bible verse and telling fans to "talk, ask qustns, (sic) listen.. maybe even learn. Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never." "It's a sad sunday when 'non believers' have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian," he added on X. Contributing: Anna Kaufman
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Chip Gaines slams critics of gay couple in new Magnolia Network reality show
Love is love. Chip Gaines spoke out against the backlash to the same-sex couple featured on the new Magnolia Network reality show 'Back to the Frontier.' 'Talk, ask questions, listen.. maybe even learn,' the 50-year-old wrote on X Sunday. 'Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never.' 9 Chip and Joanna Gaines at AOL HQ in New York City in 2016. FilmMagic 'It's a sad sunday when 'non believers' have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian,' the TV personality added. 9 Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs with their sons. 2_dallas_dads/Instagram Chip's defense came after Evangelical figure Franklin Graham, the son of late pastor Billy Graham, criticized Chip and his wife Joanna, 47, for including gay married couple Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs in the cast of 'Back to the Frontier.' The series, which premiered July 10 on HBO Max and Magnolia Network, follows three modern-day families attempting to live like 19th-century pioneers. Hanna and Riggs live in Dallas, Texas and have 10-year-old twin boys. 9 The Hanna-Riggs family in 'Back to the Frontier.' Magnolia Network 9 'Back to the Frontier' premiered July 10. Magnolia Network 'I hope this isn't true, but I read today that Chip and Joanna Gaines are featuring a gay couple in their new series,' Franklin tweeted last week, 'If It is true, it is very disappointing.' He continued: 'While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God's Word. His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.' 9 Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs with their twin sons. 2_dallas_dads/Instagram Chip continued to stand up for the couple while replying to fan comments on X. After one user accused Chip of promoting homosexuality,' the father of three responded with a Bible verse about 'gentleness and respect.' 9 Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines attend the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2022. Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery When that same user accused Chip of using the Bible verse 'against' him, Chip wrote back, 'Ha.. I didn't try to use it against you, I did use it against you.. it's pretty weird to have a life verse that has specific messaging and instruction that you don't even come close to applying. But it does seem like you love the attention so enjoy.' 9 Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs with their sons on 'Back to the Frontier.' Magnolia Network In a different exchange, Chip clapped back at a fan who claimed the show was a 'PR nightmare' for the couple. 'Ha.. you don't know us very well if you think PR and 'carefully crafted statements' will have anything to do with this,' he said. 9 Joanna and Chip Gaines. Hanna and Riggs also spoke out about the backlash in a statement on their Instagram Stories. 'Representation matters deeply–especially for those who are still finding the courage to live their truth,' the couple said. 'When families like ours are visible, it opens doors for others to feel safe, loved, and validated. Visibility isn't just about being seen; it's about making sure no one feels alone.' 9 Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs. 2_dallas_dads/Instagram In a July 11 interview with Queerty, Hanna noted the importance of him and his husband being featured on the show. 'This was a great, amazing opportunity to normalize same-sex couples and same-sex families,' he stated. 'I'm super honored that when they were choosing three modern-day families, they did choose a same-sex couple as a modern-day family, because we are. We are your neighbors and your coworkers.' Chip and Joanna rose to fame on their HGTV series 'Fixer Upper' which premiered in 2013. They launched Magnolia Network in 2022.
Buzz Feed
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Chip Gaines Defends Having A Gay Couple On New Show
Last week, Chip and Joanna Gaines's new reality series, Back to the Frontier, aired on Magnolia Network. Chip went on to reply directly to a bunch of people who criticized him and Joanna. One person wrote, 'You'll see no hate from me. I'm just sad. I can't let my kids watch your show now, since I'm trying to protect their eyes and hearts from the lies of the world—lies you're now participating in. Also, filter out some of the online vitriol and consider taking to heart some of the substantive concerns and heartbreak from the Christians who make up your fanbase. We should love the sinner—that doesn't mean we celebrate and promote the sin and participate in the multibillion dollar industry dedicated to destroying the family.' Chip replied, 'Don't be sad... plenty of other stuff out there. I'm sure everyone will be fine. BUT I sincerely appreciate the advice about taking some of the thoughtful, heartfelt, encouraging constructive criticism to heart.. and I certainly will.' Chip and Joanna's show, Back to the Frontier, is available to stream now on HBO Max.
