Fans Accuse Christian TV Stars Chip And Joanna Gaines Of Hypocrisy With New Reality Show

Chip and Joanna Gaines, whose public embrace of their Christian faith has made them especially popular among American Evangelicals, are facing new allegations of hypocrisy.

The “Fixer Upper” stars serve as producers for “Back To The Frontier,” a new show on HBO Max in which three families attempt to live as 19th-century homesteaders. One of the couples, Jason and Joe Hanna-Riggs, are gay men with adopted children. Their inclusion in the show has caused some Christians to accuse the reality stars of failing to live up to the values they have publicly espoused.

Ed Vitagliano, vice president of the American Family Association, also publicly called out the couple for disappointing their fan base.

“This is sad and disappointing, because Chip and Joanna Gaines have been very influential in the evangelical community,” Ed Vitagliano, vice president of the American Family Association, said on X.  “In the past, they have stood firm on the sanctity of marriage regardless of the personal cost that has entailed.”

Chip and Joanna Gaines’ new show on their Magnolia Network spotlights a same-sex couple and their two sons, drawing concern from Christians who expected the network to uphold biblical values.

“This is sad and disappointing, because Chip and Joanna Gaines have been very… pic.twitter.com/LKMupgB6o3

— American Family Association (@AmericanFamAssc) July 11, 2025

Chip Gaines responded to the backlash on X.

“Talk, ask [questions], listen.. maybe even learn. Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never,” he wrote on Sunday. “It’s a sad sunday when ‘non believers’ have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian.”

Talk, ask qustns, listen.. maybe even learn. Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never

It’s a sad sunday when “non believers” have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian????

— Chip Gaines (@chipgaines) July 13, 2025

“On our way to church,” the father of five wrote in a follow-up post. “Y’all enjoy this beautiful Sunday!”