US talk show host Ellen Degeneres has addressed the axing of gospel singer Kim Burrell from her show, Ellen, after the musician made a number of homophobic comments during a sermon.
Degeneres spoke on the incident on screen with Pharrell Williams who collaborated with Burrell on a song that they were meant to perform together on the show.
"To me, when I say be kind to 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, how it only gives me more compassion," Degeneres said.
"It only gives me more empathy. I don’t want anyone to feel hurt because they’re different."
Burrell was quoted as saying, "You as a man, you open your mouth and take a man's penis in your face — you are perverted... You are a woman and will shake your face in another woman's breast, you are perverted."
Williams said on the subject, "There is no space, there is no room for any kind of prejudice in 2017 or moving on.
"[Burrell] is a fantastic singer and I love her, just like I love everybody else.
"We all have to get used to everyone’s differences and understand that this is a big, gigantic, beautiful, colourful world and it only works with inclusion and empathy. It only works that way."
Watch the full video below.
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