buzzz worthy. . .
By Mona Austin
With fall premieres rolling in, Empire Season 3 is in full effect. The program that focuses on a family's entertainment dynasty was the number broadcast on it premiere night. However, the ratings were down in episodes 1 and 2 in comparison to year's past. Is the Lyons family losing their "roar"?
In case you missd it, in season 2 a scene involving a taunt against gospel artist Donnie McClurkin may have contributed to the ratings struggle last year. Are the 3 million viewers who mysteriously vanished last year done with the show? Here's what happened. . .
Multiple Grammy winning gospel artist Donnie McClurkin has taken the high road in response to gay innuendo in the season 2 premiere episode of "Empire," and the FOX Network's most popular show appears to have taken a steady dive in ratings.
During a cameo appearance in the season opener 16 million viewers (Nielsen) locked eyes on "Miss Lawrence," an out Atlanta hairstylist and co-star of Bravo's "Fashion Queens, as he took a subtle jab at McClurkin about being gay with a reference to McClurkins popular song, "We Fall Down."
In an exchange with the character Becky (played by Gabby Sidibe) Lawrence mentioned McClurkin would be attending an upcoming GLAAD Awards Show as quoted verbatim below:
Miss Lawrence: It’ll be fun. Becky darling, Donnie McClurkin will be there.
Becky: Donnie McClurkin! I love him!
Miss Lawrence: Do you?
Becky: We fall down, but we get up! Don’t we?
Miss Lawrence: Won’t he will?
Becky: Will he won’t?
The characters thought joking about the singer was cute. Viewers didn't. By the second episode, the viewership dropped to 13.7 million.
The characters thought joking about the singer was cute. Viewers didn't. By the second episode, the viewership dropped to 13.7 million.
Empire was the FOX network's ratings humdinger until gay openly EP Lee Danielle's allowed the underhanded swipe at McClurking's sexual preference into the script.
For years McClurkin has denounced homosexuality. He has addressed homosexuality in the Black Church, saying he was delivered from it, essentially teaching the message in the song, "We fall down, but we get up, for a saint is just a sinner who fell down and got up. You can get back up again." McClurkin opened up about his past in the book well over a decade ago. Sharing his testimony has not come without reproach. The singer has come under fire for expressing his Biblical worldview of homosexuality at campaign events, at conferences and was once disinvited to perform at a DC event for his conservative stance on the issue. Various organizations and gay rights groups have vilified the pastor for his restorative message.
McClurkin has also been vocal about the supreme court decision to lift the ban on gay marriage, expressing opposition to the decision on Facebook: “We’ve just received the answer from man’s Supreme Court … we already received the answer from GOD,” the pastor of Perfecting Faith Church in New York wrote. “With NO REGARD to what the Supreme Court of MAN decrees … no matter what MY past was or feelings & struggles … GOD has set the only standard for marriage to be between man and woman … in biology, in physiology, in history, biblically & scripturally and that … I will NEVER speak against!”
McClurkin's publicist characterized the attack as a new form of bullying.
The 55 year old, pastor of Perfecting Church in Freeport, NY and radio show host responded by asking his followers to show love towards gay "Empire" creator, Lee Daniels in the following statement:
“It was brought to my attention via social media that my name was included in a “back-handed” manner during a scene in the FOX show, Empire. What might have been meant for evil, God uses for good! Despite the scripting used by @leedanielsent it has helped bring attention to the gospel of Jesus Christ that I sing and preach, an empowering moment! To my brothers and sisters, thank you for your support, encouragement & love! No negativity towards @leedanielsent let’s show the love of Jesus,” says McClurkin.
In the week following the premiere the show's ratings dropped 19 percent. Now that Empire's ratings have fallen down will they get back up again? The specific reason the interest in the show was waning is hard to pinpoint, but according to Hip Hop
s 50 Cent, viewers are inundated with gays and celebs. “We could not take the extra gay stuff or celebrity stuff last night!!!!”
September 28, 2015