Following the rapid turn of events that left Roseanne Barr without a job, the actress broke her silence on Twitter with a bit of explanation.
ABC cancelled the ratings-winning “Roseanne” show on Tuesday after Barr tweeted a series of comments about everything from George Soros, Chelsea Clinton and former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.
(Image: screenshot)
Her “joke” about Jarrett being the love child of the Muslim Brotherhood and “Planet of the Apes” set off an uproar denouncing the comedian for allegedly being racist. Barr followed with apologies to Clinton and explained that her Jarrett comments were a joke.
But after the show’s consulting producer, Wanda Sykes, announced she would not be returning to the ABC show’s second season following Barr’s comments, and the backlash continued, ABC announced Tuesday afternoon that it was canceling the show.
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a statement.
After the fallout on Tuesday night, Barr took to Twitter again to explain that she thought Jarrett was Saudi, not black.
i thought she was saudi
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
Barr had tweeted an apology to Jarrett earlier on Tuesday, noting that her “whole life has been about fighting racism.”
@ValerieJarrett i don’t know if u saw it, but I wanted2 apologize to u 4 hurting and upsetting u with an insensitive & tasteless tweet. I am truly sorry-my whole life has been about fighting racism. I made a terrible mistake wh caused hundreds of ppl 2 lose their jobs. so sorry!
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
She also asked not to be defended and blamed her “egregious” and “indefensible” mistake on “ambien tweeting,” referring to the prescription sedative used to treat insomnia.
guys I did something unforgiveable so do not defend me. It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting-it was memorial day too-i went 2 far & do not want it defended-it was egregious Indefensible. I made a mistake I wish I hadn’t but…don’t defend it please. ty
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
But Barr was not about to lay low and allow everyone to step on her. She retweeted comments from supporters and lashed out at castmates who quickly put distance between them and Barr.
Wow! unreal.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
i created the platform for that inclusivity and you know https://t.co/hViHPX2ZUb. You throw me under the bus. nice!
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
Barr, who was also dropped from her talent agency, thanked supporters but said she was “moving on.”
hey guys, don’t defend me, it’s sweet of you 2 try, but…losing my show is 0 compared 2 being labelled a racist over one tweet-that I regret even more.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
thank u, but, it’s over. I am moving on.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
And while there was no shortage of those applauding ABC’s move and condemning Barr, there was vocal pushback from those who saw the decision as a political hit job against the actress for her pro-Israel, pro-Trump views.
People are asking me How can i be black and still support Roseanne after the mistake she made, um the same way y’all still support Bill Maher after he said House Nigger and mocked black slaves, he still has a show and he wasn’t on Ambien . pic.twitter.com/RlI0pAHmgT
— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) May 30, 2018
Cancel #Roseanne, ok. But what about @JoyVBehar who called Christians mentally ill? Or @KeithOlbermann who slanders @realDonaldTrump everyday by calling him a white supremacist? Or @michelleisawolf who tore into Sarah Sanders based on her physical appearance?e
— CJ Pearson (@thecjpearson) May 29, 2018
What upset me. Roseanne has stuck up for folks from all back grounds. Her fans know she not a racist. Her tweet was stupid but I have heard worst from other comics. The hypocrisy is chilling and discusting
— Mark (@texm98) May 29, 2018
Maybe if Roseanne had just lied about what she tweeted, blamed non-existent “hackers” and stuck to what was obviously a bogus excuse for weeks, the media would have immediately forgiven her.
Oh I forgot, she’s a conservative. Totally different rules. https://t.co/jc2EEU33hv
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) May 29, 2018
@therealroseanne is NO racist
Been a fan for decades & a hint of that would have shined thru at one time or another BUT NEVER DID
Infuriated she’s being thrown under the bus by THANKLESS UNDERLINGS who know this & should be defending her
It’s political folks & I’m mad as hell! pic.twitter.com/83nuW5aJKp
— ⚜️⚜️⚜Kathleen⚜️⚜️⚜ (@KNP2BP) May 30, 2018
thanks for all your kind comments, everyone! Love u all goodnight-
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018
Via BPR
