Dreamgirl Jennifer Holliday Pulls Out of Presidential Inauguration

Sheryl Lee Ralph’s (@diva3482) Instagram comment

The power of a ruthless dragging! As previously reported, Dreamgirls and The Color Purple star Jennifer Holliday had confirmed that she’d perform at the Presidential Inauguration “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” of The Color Orange on January 19th, claiming to do it “for the people.”

However, we’ve just received word that the Tony winner has opted to pull her performance after facing heavy backlash from the LGBT-community. Several members of the Broadway theatre community, including her former co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph, met the news with confusion and distress.

In a letter provided to The Wrap, Holliday apologized for being uneducated and “causing such dismay and heartbreak to [her] fans.” She further explained that she changed her mind after reading a story from The Daily Beast: “Jennifer Holliday Will Perform at Trump’s Inauguration, Which Is Heartbreaking to Gay Fans.”

We commend her for making the right choice. (read full letter below)

Previous performers who’ve announced their decision to drop out include Paul Anka and Andrea Bocelli. As of now, Court Jester King Louie and his team are still struggling to snatch up any performer who might need a paycheck.

Confirmed artists include 3 Doors Down, Lee Greenwood, The Piano Guys, Toby Keith, The Radio City Rockettes, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and The Talladega Marching Tornados.

Ch’, some line-up.

Read Holliday’s full letter below:

TO MY BELOVED LGBT COMMUNITY:

Please allow me this opportunity to speak to you directly and to explain why I originally made my decision to perform at the inauguration which was what I had thought would be my simply keeping in my tradition of being a “bi-partisan songbird” having sung for Presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush.

I was asked to sing a song for what was presented to me as the “Welcome Concert For The People”– in my mind I was reflecting on the past times of being asked to sing for presidents and I only focused on the phrase “For The People”… I thought, For America!

I was honestly just thinking that I wanted my voice to be a healing and unifying force for hope through music to help our deeply polarized country… Regretfully, I did not take into consideration that my performing for the concert would actually instead be taken as a political act against my own personal beliefs and be mistaken for support of Donald Trump and Mike Pence.

In light of the information pointed out to me via the Daily Beast article on yesterday, my only choice must now be to stand with the LGBT Community and to state unequivocally that I WILL NOT PERFORM FOR THE WELCOME CONCERT OR FOR ANY OF THE INAUGURATION FESTIVITIES!

I sincerely apologize for my lapse of judgement, for being uneducated on the issues that affect every American at this crucial time in history and for causing such dismay and heartbreak to my fans.

Please know that I HEAR YOU and I feel your pain. The LGBT Community was mostly responsible for birthing my career and I am deeply indebted to you… You have loved me faithfully and unconditionally and for so many years you provided me with work even though my star had long since faded.

Thank you for communicating with me, I had no idea that I still meant so much to all of you.

Thank you for your posted comments both the good supportive ones as well as the ugly hurtful ones.

With LOVE & Appreciation,

JENNIFER  HOLLIDAY
“The Original DreamGirl”