Oprah Winfrey is usually commended for the selection of shows for her network. However, she has come under fire after "The Book of John Gray" premiered on Saturday, April 15 at 10 p.m. Winfrey received a lot of negative comments on social media for adding the reality show. It is an eight-episode series that has been added to OWN's lineup of programs for the spring. The series is hosted by Pastor John Gray who boldly speaks about his anti-gay views.
About John Gray and his show
John Gray is an associate pastor at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas under the leadership of Pastor Joel Osteen.
He prides himself on being a black preacher at the largest church in the United States, according to the Christian Post. Gray's style is nothing like that of Osteen. Instead, he is known for his unconventional ways of preaching.
He preaches regularly during the church's Wednesday service that has grown from 2,500 to about 9,000 people in attendance each week. Gray told Oprah that it is an honor to be the first African American on staff and to be able to speak weekly to the congregation on a regular basis.
His docuseries proves how controversial he is. He has tweeted about his dislikes for the LGBTQ community, including criticizing former President Barack Obama for supporting same-sex marriages.
He takes on issues against people and companies who support the LGBTQ community. For instance, he explained that he no longer shops at Target because of the store's policies.
"The Book of John Gray" is a docuseries about the life of the controversial pastor and his unique ways of helping people. Gray gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look into his life when he is in the church and at his home.
He claims to be able to help people overcome their problems by using wisdom and a sense of humor when ministering to them.
Comments on social media
There are many negative comments on social media about the pastor's beliefs and just as many against Oprah for giving him a platform to speak against the gay community. People shared their disappointment in Oprah.
They said some mean and ugly things about the media mogul. Some people are so outraged that they are calling for OWN to be boycotted. Others are urging Winfrey to drop the show stating that because Gray's show is on her network, she must also share his views.
@Oprah so disappointed in you, putting that homophobe John Gray on TV. Are you our ally, or not? the LGBTQ Community is waiting...
— Paul (@gayvolfan) April 19, 2017
@Oprah so disappointed in you, putting that homophobe John Gray on TV. Are you our ally, or not? the LGBTQ Community is waiting...
— Paul (@gayvolfan) April 19, 2017
Mean tweets
The tweets about Gray and Oprah range from mild to mean after the reality show has been on the network for only one week. It is more likely that the negative comments will not cease until Oprah addresses the complainers or handle the situation in another way.