NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — Singer Jennifer Holliday has backed out as a performer at next week’s presidential inauguration, saying she did not realize that her participation would be interpreted as a statement of support for President-elect Donald Trump.
Holliday, best known for her Tony-winning role in Broadway’s “Dreamgirls,” faced pressure from her gay, lesbian and black fans when it was announced she would sing at Thursday’s concert at Washington’s Lincoln Memorial.
Holliday said in a statement Saturday that she apologized for her lapse of judgment, for being uneducated on the issues and causing heartbreak for her fans.
Several prominent entertainers have declined to perform at Trump inaugural festivities. Country star Toby Keith and actor Jon Voigt are in the lineup for Thursday’s concert.
Holliday’s reversal was first reported by The Wrap .
(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
