Sarah Silverman has called on her pals in Hollywood to buy a historic theater from an “anti-LGBT church” that’s interested in the property.
“So an anti-LGBT church called Adventure church is trying to buy The Tower theater in the most lgbt friendly area of Fresno [California] (the arts district, obvs),” the 50-year-old comedian tweeted to her millions of followers. The post was noted by ABC 30 in a piece published Monday.
“So… it’s for sale if someone wants to scoop them @LGBTfdn,” she added, along with tagging stars like Chelsea Handler, Ellen DeGeneres and Neil Patrick Harris. (RELATED: Sarah Silverman Says She’s Now ‘Horrified’ By 2007 Blackface Sketch)
So an anti-LGBT church called Adventure church is trying to buy The Tower theater in the most lgbt friendly area of Fresno (the arts district, obvs) So… it’s for sale if someone wants to scoop them @LGBTfdn @chelseahandler @TheEllenShow @ActuallyNPH or maybe a Gofundme? https://t.co/m00g7fdN18
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) February 9, 2021
She also suggested maybe starting a GoFundMe to stop the church from getting the theater.
Including in the post was a video of people against the sale of the tower theater and possibly redistricting the zone. In the video, people are holding signs that read things like, “Save our culture, history, economy and arts” and “Keep Tower Queer.”
The piece noted that the “Save the Tower Theater Demonstration Committee” appreciated the stand-up comedian’s tweet because the group believes the “community would lose a valuable venue if it had to be re-zoned.”
A Tower resident involved with the committee said that, they “do not want a rezone that will threaten existing Tower bars, restaurants, and clubs, which are the economic heart of the Tower District and provide the live entertainment venues that allow the arts to thrive here,” according to Fox 26 News.
A Change.org petition protesting the church getting the building reads that “the tower district has always been a welcoming neighborhood to all and it has served as a safe space for Fresno’s LGBTQ+ residents.”
“Taking that away can potentially invite intolerance into that space,” the message added. “Selling the theatre will also take away a venue in which several events are held, such as the film festival and other cultural events.”
Adventure church has previously stated it plans to keep the theater as an event center and continue to hold services there as they have done for almost a year.