The Jim Henson Company, which is best
known for creating the Muppets, on Friday announced it was ending its
business relationship with chicken chain Chick-Fil-A over its
president's recent comments in opposition to gay marriage.
Chick-Fil-A President Dan Cathy
unleashed a firestorm of controversy when he said gay marriage is
“inviting God's judgment on our nation.”
Cathy
pivoted in a subsequent interview with San Antonio Fox affiliate
Fox 29, saying “we appreciate everybody” and insisting “we
don't have anti-gay or anti-anything policy or attitude toward
anybody that's out there.”
Between 2003 and 2010, Chick-Fil-A gave
nearly $5 million to groups opposed to gay rights, according to
Equality
Matters.
Chick-Fil-A is currently offering Jim
Henson's Creature Shop toys in their Kid's Meals through August 18.
The five toys allow kids to create their own puppet.
The company announced it was ending its
association with Chick-Fil-A in a Facebook post.
“The Jim Henson Company has
celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty
years and we have notified Chick-Fil-A that we do not wish to partner
with them on any future endeavors. Lisa Henson, our CEO, is
personally a strong supporter of gay marriage and has directed us to
donate the payment we received from Chick-Fil-A to GLAAD.”
(Related: Boston
Mayor Thomas Menino says he'll ban Chick-Fil-A.)