Antoine Dodson has rejected calls by
gay activists and allies to dump Chick-Fil-A over its anti-gay views
and support of groups opposed to gay marriage.
Dodson, the oldest of six children,
became a YouTube celebrity in 2010 when an interview he gave to a
local television station on an attempted rape of his sister, Kelly
Dodson, was “songified” by The Gregory Brothers. Sales from the
single Bed Intruder on iTunes reportedly earned Dodson enough
money to move his family out of public housing in Huntsville,
Alabama.
“Just let me tell you this: I have
uncles and aunties as well that does not approve of gay marriages and
stuff like that, but they respect me,” said Dodson, who is openly
gay, in a 90-second video posted on YouTube. “I don't care about
one person's opinion and that's the way they feel, and that's fine.”
“Chick-Fil-A makes good meals. … So
no one is gonna stop me from eating there. … People say a lot of
crazy things.” (The video is embedded in the right panel of this
page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)
Dodson responded to criticism to his
first video in a second video.
“The people at the restaurants are
sweet, and they greet me kindly. And the fries may not always be
hot, but they're good. If we stop coming, those hardworking people
in that building no longer have jobs.”
“So I'm not really supporting the
head man in charge. I'm supporting those hard workers in the
kitchen,” he added.
(Related: Rick
Santorum defends Chick-Fil-A from Thomas Menino, Rahm Emanuel
attacks.)