3
3
Broadway star Jennifer Holliday has backed out as a performer at next week's presidential inaugural following protests from her gay and black fans. Holliday is best known for her Tony-winning role in Broadway's "Dreamgirls" . Called out by LGBT supporters and Jimmy Fallon, Holliday said it was painful to read racial epithets, insults such as "Uncle Tom" and people wishing that she were dead "just for singing a song." She had been scheduled to sing the Stephen Foster song "Hard Times Come Again No More." She said she hadn't considered that singing at Washington's Lincoln Memorial would be judged a statement of support for President-elect Donald Trump. At 3 a.m. after reading commentary about how her participation was being seen, she decided to withdraw from the inauguration. President Barack Obama's inaugurations attracted top names like Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson and others, in sharp contrast to those Trump has gathered. But Trump has insisted that's how he wants it, saying the swearing-in festivities should be about the people, not the A-list celebrities.