Fran Drescher: Kirk Cameron needs to rethink what it is to be an American

From left to right, Mason, Tom, Fran Drescher and Madison appear during the Love Is Love Gay Marriage contest at XL Nightclub on March 6, 2012, in New York City.

/ Donna Ward/Getty Images

(CBS News) Fran Drescher, who stars in TV Land's comedy "Happily Divorced" and is an outspoken activist for marriage equality, lashed out at actor  Kirk Cameron Tuesday night, saying he needs to "reexamine what it is to be an American."

The "Growing Pains" actor-turned-evangelist stirred up controversy when he made comments against homosexuality and gay marriage last week.

"I don't agree with anything that he says," Drescher told CBSNews.com. "I think that he is confusing our country, which is a country that separates church from state, with a religious dictatorship."

In an interview with CNN's Pierce Morgan that aired Friday, Cameron called homosexuality "unnatural" and "ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization."

The 54-year-Drescher, who officiated at a gay marriage Tuesday night in New York City for her "Love is Love Gay Marriage Contest," said Cameron needs to rethink what it truly means to be an American.

"To be an American is not to be a hater, not make a religion that you may practice to be an excuse for selecting a group of people and making them feel less good," Drescher said.

Drescher's "Happily Divorced" show is inspired by the real-life story of the comedian and revolves around the character Fran, a Los Angeles florist who finds out after 18 years of marriage that her husband is gay. Unable to sell the house with the economy, she and her gay ex-husband Peter must continue to live together, happily divorced as they both enter the dating world.

"As with everything that comes in your life that you didn't expect, that you didn't plan on, you have to play the hand that you were dealt," Drescher says of her marriage to Peter Marc Jacobson, who is also the show's co-creator. "Play it as courageously and eloquently as you can and take the feelings and love that you had for this person and just reinvent it, put it on another shelf and just forgive them because everybody has a right to live an authentic life."

The show's second season premieres on TV Land tonight, March 7, at 10:30 ET/PT.

[TrishaE]

C'mon, homosexuals are NOT THE ONLY ONES that Christianity targets. Who else does Christianity target and not make feel so good? The Christian, that's who! I'm a Christian and sometimes I don't feel so good about my own actions, and I get called out about it from others and from what it says in the bible. I'm a sinner too. Some people make it seem as if gays are the only ones who do anything wrong in the eyes of a Christian. Well, NEWSFLASH, Christians are just as bad when it comes to sin, that's why we all need Jesus, to help us turn away from that sin. Being a Christian means you battle your own sin every day.

[pak31]

What is unAmerican is when people get slammed for having an opinion. I don't see it written anywhere that we must accept homosexuality or else we will be in trouble. Wouldn't that be a dictatorship?? Because this is America, each and everyone of us can have a different opinion on what is right and what is wrong. Fran can't tell any American how they should feel. So now is some other celebrity going to come out and bash Fran for her opinion??? It could be a viscious circle.

[dscsiii]

Roger,

Oh yeah, Fran Drescher, the deep thinker. What it means to be an American, among other things, is to be free to express your views without being personally destroyed by anti-religious bigots just for disagreeing- bigots like those who run most of the media, including this woman. We are talking about the most basic manner of protected free expression which exists in the US Constitution, and mass media trying to crush those who use it. She needs to rethink what it means to be an American. Mr Cameron did not for one second claim or say he hated anyone. There is only one thing that God tells Christians to hate: sin. Not the person doing it, but the act(s) itself. That 'hate' claim was just an ad hominem accusation commonly used by most progressive intellectual lightweights, ascribing it to a specific motivation on the part of someone she does not know, and it is completely without basis in fact or truth. Of course, if you are a political progressive the truth means little or nothing. All that matters is the acquisition of the power to squash those who disagree with you by any means, including the Big Lie. You can certainly congratulate her for pulling that one off, albeit with the assistance (and proper manipulation) on the part of the media, who actually knows how to make even a mental midget like her sound important. She, herself, is a bit of an idiot. It is not even vaguely possible to establish or create any kind of theocracy here, and no Christian wants it anyway. It does, however, make a great propaganda line. Do you know how many active web sites there are which are still up, explaining in great detail how G W Bush is going to establish a theocracy? After a while this kind of typical progressive ignorance and anti-Christian bigotry just gets.... tiring.

[revtjchase]

spreading hate is not christian.

[oneLOVE12292011]

i posted up here yesterday but it is interesting to see just how hateful some people really are. The hurtful things some people say and "believe". Regardless of my sexual preference or anybody else, we are still HUMAN. I feel like this whole religious argument is getting out of hand and unnecessary and we should all just agree to disagree.

[jgnv]

No kidding! It seems that ever since the presidential campaign got into full swing, religion, sexual orientation and contraception have once again been the main focus of everyone's attention. All the spiteful, deragatory remarks being made on a daily basis is simply going to turn everyone off. You're so right when you say "we should all just agree to disagree".

[Kreig6969]

Everyone things KC is not being empathetic towards gays. You people are so blind. He is gay. He just doesn't want to admit he's a liar so instead when a woman suggests having some you know what he says I'm sorry I can't because lusting for a woman is a sinny sin sin. The problem is that he uses the same sin theory to explain why he's getting gay thouhgts. Everyone sins he says and he's no different. Not everyone gets gay thoughts Kirk. Just like how you don't get straight ones. We are who we are.

[mattrick78]

Saying that someone else is un-American just because you disagree with them is un-American.

[pak31]

EXACTLY!!! Why is Fran's way the right way and Kirk's is the wrong way??? That makes no sense.

[TStewartIII3]

NewsBusters: Lefties Accuse Kirk Cameron of Hate Speech for Christian Beliefs
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/lauren-thompson/2012/03/08/lefties-accuse-kirk-cameron-hate-speech-christian-beliefs

[imn2god77]

slow where did you go? did you get tired of judging me due to my God fearing belifs?

[wildemanne]

so kirk is a far right wing extremist religious fanatic? so sad, kirk used to be a decent guy, now he's joined up with other hate mongers, bushes,chaineys,limburgergahs,and the latest new ancient old timers mr.i don't really know what i stand for romney, mr. i haven't had an original idea since my last vacation as a repub slave to mongers, and who can forget hot head war monger turncoat rino newt gingrich who still is a greater skirt chaser, than B.C., wife deserter, American deserter, AND I THINK THEY'RE ALL DRAFT DODGERS! WHAT A COMMIEPUBLICAN FIELD OF CONTENDERS THE OLD FARTS ABOVE HAVE STUCK THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WITH!

[hey_its_bj]

used to be???? Kirk IS a wonderful decent man and husband. Funny how anyone who disagrees with the far left Progressives, gays, baby killers and Christian haters, well they are not decent...where are our children headed.
I can NOT believe anyone watches Fran on anything, who can stand that voice.

[secondson65]

Fran, being a Christian has nothing to do with being an American. For a Christian, being loyal to God comes first above all else, no matter where you are in the world...and that means adhering to his moral precepts FIRST above being an American. It may be increasingly acceptable in American society to recognize gay "marriage", but for a believer that's irrelevant. Marriage is instituted and defined by God...not the American Constitution.

[honestabe8]

The institution of marriage predates the abrahamic religions. if you want to keep it away from gays, then take it's licensing away from government

[minneapolisgirl]

I agree. Very well said. Also, I'd like to add America provides people freedom of expression. Kurt is freely expressing his opinion, he was asked and he was simply responding. There are other governments that don't allow this. This is something we all should be thankful for. Secondly, God has given to every person free will. Free will to decide how you want to live your life and what beliefs you want to live by. I choose to put God's Word first. And lastly, no one make you feel "less good" about yourself. It's something you decide for yourself. It's your responsibility and privilege. Don't hand it off to someone else, Fran.

[oneLOVE12292011]

I am a 21 year old female who is in a GAY relationship. Because i choose to live this lifestyle does NOT make me "UNNATURAL" or "HELL BOUND"...nor does it make me any less of an American. Love is love. And for all of you who want to throw your "beliefs" into the Gay communities face need to read more carefully. Because the bible I know CLEARLY states that no SIN out ways another. Or in more simple terms if Im going to hell for being gay then you are going for sex before marriage and tattoos and piercings. Not honoring thy mother and thy father. People please get over your ways Im just saying.

[secondson65]

Actually, the Bible does say there is sin that does not lead to death, and sin that does lead to death. Read 1 John 5:16. So there ARE some sins which are more serious than others.

[oneLOVE12292011]

OK and I understand that but I doubt if Gay marriage is one. I just feel like as an "American" we have waaaaaaaay more to be worried about, other than who loves who, no matter what gender or race.