David and Jason Benham, hosts of a proposed HGTV real estate reality show that was cancelled after news broke that one of the brothers has actively campaigned against marriage equality and LGBT rights, appeared on CNN Thursday to profess their love for Muslims and “homosexuals” and that they believe HGTV was bullied into canceling their show.
David Benham said, “Never have I ever spoken against homosexuals as individuals and gone against them,” and that he was speaking of the gay “agenda” that “is seeking to silence the men and women of faith.”
“We love Muslims and we love homosexuals,” he added.
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HGTV pulled the plug on the show, which was to debut in October, after Right Wing Watch published a report labeling David Benham as an anti-gay “dedicated right-wing activist.
Earlier Thursday, the brothers released a statement that said, “Anyone who suggests that we hate homosexuals or people of other faiths is either misinformed or lying.”
In 2012, David Benham led a prayer rally outside of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., which he told conservative radio host Janet Mefferd was needed to stop “homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation” and “demonic ideologies tak[ing] our universities and our public school systems.”
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In 2004, at a Charlotte, N.C. city council meeting to protest a local pride parade, David Benham referred to homosexuality as “destructive” and a “tragedy” and called the event “filth” and “vile” and “should not be allowed in our city.”
On Muslims, David Benham has referred to them as “the enemy attacking” America.
HGTV spokeswoman Audrey Adlam has refused to say why the show was canceled.
