Duck Dynasty executive producer Deirdre Gurney recently talked to The Hollywood Reporter and admitted that she wanted to talk about Phil Robertson's scathing gay comments but chose to remain silent instead because she trusted their talent to handle the situation.
"I don't think anyone expected it to be that kind of reaction and get that much attention, so no one was prepared with what this really meant, what to say," said Gurney.
"I wanted to be able to speak and explain, but we couldn't," she added. "We know our talent. I know Phil Robertson. I know his beliefs. I know how he treats a crew that has several gay people on it and people of different races and people from all different places. He has beliefs and stands by them. But that isn't how he treats people — it is what he thinks. I think there's a separation between what he thinks and how he thinks people should be treated. I don't think he was saying anything about how people should be treated."
Robertson received flak for his comments and in turn, people demanded that Duck Dynasty be canceled or that the family patriarch be removed from the series. The network, A&E, suspended Robertson from the show in an attempt to satiate angry complaints.
However, his family stood firmly beside him and insisted that they would leave the series if Robertson was permanently suspended or let go. The show decided to bring him back and the show began its new season with the cast intact.