ABC cancels ‘Roseanne’ after Roseanne Barr’s ‘abhorrent, repugnant’ tweet
ABC Networks has decided to cancel Roseanne.
The decision comes after the show’s star Roseanne Barr made racist remarks on Twitter Tuesday, attacking former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett, saying she’s the offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood and “Planet of the Apes.”
“Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,” Barr wrote.
Barr has since deleted the tweet and said she was leaving Twitter.
ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said Barr’s comments were “abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.”
Wanda Sykes, who is a consulting producer on the ABC revival, tweeted Tuesday after the initial Barr tweet, that she won’t be returning to the sitcom.
Roseanne star and exec producer Sara Gilbert also quickly spoke out, calling the remarks “abhorrent,” adding that the remark does “not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show. I am disappointed in her actions to say the least.”
Gilbert continued, “This is incredibly sad and difficult for all of us, as we’ve created a show that we believe in, are proud of, and that audiences love— one that is separate and apart from the opinions and words of one cast member.”
Roseanne’s recent comments about Valerie Jarrett, and so much more, are abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show. I am disappointed in her actions to say the least.
— sara gilbert (@THEsaragilbert) May 29, 2018
This is incredibly sad and difficult for all of us, as we’ve created a show that we believe in, are proud of, and that audiences love— one that is separate and apart from the opinions and words of one cast member.
— sara gilbert (@THEsaragilbert) May 29, 2018
The Roseanne revival, which debuted in March, becoming a ratings hit for the network has also sparked outrage from the right and left over the show’s Trump support and a gender-neutral character.
The show secured a 13-episode, season two renewal after its premiere.
Disney CEO Bob Iger also released a statement about the decision to cancel the show, noting, “There was only one thing to do here, and that was the right thing.”
[…] Roseanne learned about the line you cannot cross with the Hollywood elite…a line TV writer Pat Dussault and actor Peter Fonda appear to have NOT violated yet, despite their threatening language towards President Trump and his family. […]