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People Have a Lot of Thoughts About How 'The Conners' Killed Off Roseanne


The highly anticipated Roseanne spin-off, The Conners, premiered last night on ABC to huge numbers. According to Nielsen, 10.5 million people tuned in to see how the Conner family would carry on without their matriarch Roseanne, played by Roseanne Barr. The actress, who led last spring’s Roseanne reboot, found herself in hot water after she made racist comments about Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to the Obama administration. Her remarks caused ABC to cancel the reboot, and in its place is The Conners, which has all the elements that made Roseanne successful—just without Barr.

And naturally, how The Conners killed off Barr’s character is causing some serious chatter online. By the end of the pilot, we learn that Roseanne died from an opioid overdose. It’s a bleak way to send off a character, and especially poignant given the prevalence of opioid abuse in our culture. But Barr took to Twitter to express her disapproval in how the show finished off her character. “I AIN’T DEAD, BITCHES!!!!” she wrote.

Shortly after this, Barr released a statement on Facebook through her friend, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach. Here it is, in full:

While we wish the very best for the cast and production crew of The Conners, all of whom are deeply dedicated to their craft and were Roseanne’s cherished colleagues, we regret that ABC chose to cancel Roseanne by killing off the Roseanne Conner character. That it was done through an opioid overdose lent an unnecessary grim and morbid dimension to an otherwise happy family show.

This was a choice the network did not have to make. Roseanne was the only show on television that directly addressed the deep divisions threatening the very fabric of our society. Specifically, the show promoted the message that love and respect for one another’s personhood should transcend differences in background and ideological discord. The show brought together characters of different political persuasions and ethnic backgrounds in one, unified family, a rarity in modern American entertainment. Above all else, the show celebrated a strong, matriarchal woman in a leading role, something we need more of in our country.

Through humor and a universally relatable main character, the show represented a weekly teaching moment for our nation. Yet it is often following an inexcusable—but not unforgivable—mistake that we can discover the most important lesson of all: forgiveness. After repeated and heartfelt apologies, the network was unwilling to look past a regrettable mistake, thereby denying the twin American values of both repentance and forgiveness. In a hyper-partisan climate, people will sometimes make the mistake of speaking with words that do not truly reflect who they are. However, it is the power of forgiveness that defines our humanity.

Our society needs to heal on many levels. What better way for healing than a shared moment, once a week, where we could have all enjoyed a compelling storyline featuring a witty character—a woman—who America connected with, not in spite of her flaws, but because of them. The cancellation of Roseanne is an opportunity squandered due in equal parts to fear, hubris, and a refusal to forgive.

The Twitter reactions to Roseanne’s death are mixed. Some are outraged:

Others, however, are unbothered and even find the plot twist funny:

We’ll update this post if Barr says anything else. The Conners airs Tuesdays at 8:00 P.M. ET on ABC.

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Roseanne Barr Addresses Valerie Jarrett Tweet: “I Thought the Bitch Was White”

Valerie Jarrett Responds to Roseanne Cancellation: “We Have to Turn It Into a Teaching Moment”





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Roseanne Barr Addresses Valerie Jarrett Tweet in Unhinged Video: 'I Thought the Bitch Was White'


Two months ago ABC canceled its reboot of the nineties sitcom Roseanne, following a racist Twitter rant from the show’s star, Roseanne Barr, that compared former Obama administration aide Valerie Jarrett to an ape.

Barr eventually apologized for her comments on the podcast Stand Up NY, but in a new video making its internet rounds, the comedian appears unhinged as she spews an expletive-heavy commentary on Jarrett yet again. The video surfaced late Thursday when Barr posted it to her YouTube account.

“I thought the bitch was white!,” she screams, referencing her racist tweet about Jarrett. “Goddamnit! I thought the bitch was white! Fuck!”

In the video Barr is seen smoking a cigarette and appears agitated as someone off-camera tells her to imagine a presidential address after a sex scandal. It’s unclear who shot the footage. But Barr isn’t interested in the commentary, shouting into the camera about Jarrett and Iran.

“I’m trying to talk about Iran, I’m trying to talk about Valerie Jarrett wrote the Iran deal! That’s what my tweet was about!”

The clip offers no other context, other than a caption that reads, “Roseanne, like always, cuts through the bullshit and gets the heart of the matter.”

Barr has offered a series of baffling explanations to justify her jabs at Jarrett, which have ranged from claims that she was commenting on anti-Semitism to an assertion that she was “Ambien tweeting.” However, the tweets weren’t the first time her feed has been mired in controversy; she has a history of peddling conspiracy theories and racist ideas on Twitter.

Jarrett addressed Barr’s comments publicly in May. “First of all, I think we have to turn it into a teaching moment,” Jarrett said. “I’m fine. I’m worried about all the people out there who don’t have a circle of friends and followers coming to their defense.”

When ABC first announcing it was firing Barr and killing the reboot, president Channing Dungey wrote in a statement, “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.”

Since then, ABC has ordered a spin-off of the reboot called The Conners, which would continue with 10 episodes starring Roseanne original cast members John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, and Michael Fishman. Barr will not be a part of the program.



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Roseanne Barr Apologizes for Her Racist Tweets in a New Interview


Roseanne Barr, who starred in ‘90s sitcom Roseanne and this year’s subsequent, short-lived revival on ABC, has apologized for the racist Twitter rant that eventually lead to the revival’s cancellation.

On May 29, she posted a since-deleted tweet that said, “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby= vj.” It reportedly referred to an online claim that the CIA spied on French presidential candidates, with “vj” referring to Valerie Jarrett, a former Obama aide. (In the aftermath of the cancellation, Jarrett would call the tweet a “teaching moment.”)

In the subsequent days, ABC cancelled the Roseanne revival—which brought in huge ratings to the network—and announced The Connors, its spinoff, in which Barr will have no financial or creative involvement.

In her first interview since the tweet, Barr apologized for her words on Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s podcast at Stand Up NY. According to the New York Daily News, the interview actually happened two days after the initial tweets in May, but the rabbi—a friend of Roseanne—waited to release the audio until early this morning.

“I’m a lot of things. I’m a loudmouth and all that stuff, but I’m not stupid, for God’s sake, and I never would have wittingly called any black person … say they are a monkey,” she said, at times crying during the 30-minute long podcast. “I never would do that! And I didn’t do that. And if people think that I did that it just kills me. I didn’t do that, although they think I did. And if they do think that I am so sorry that I- ya know, it was so unclear and stupid. I’m very sorry but I don’t think that, I never would do that.”

“Of course, no I don’t excuse it,” she said, saying again during the interview that she was on Ambien when she tweeted. “I horribly regret it, are you kidding? I’ve lost everything. And I regretted it before I lost everything and I said to God, ‘I am willing to accept whatever consequences this brings because I know I’ve done wrong.’ I’m willing to accept what the consequences are. And, I do. And I have.”

Listen to the full audio here.

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A 'Roseanne' Spinoff Without Roseanne Barr Is Officially Happening


The Roseanne revival may have had incredibly high ratings when it debuted, but the show was still cancelled in May after star Roseanne Barr tweeted racist statements about Valerie Jarrett, a former Barack Obama aide. At the time of the cancellation, the president of ABC Entertainment wrote in a statement: “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.” Now, just a few weeks later, ABC has found a way to continue the show without its lead.

An official statement from Tom Werner, executive producer, and Barr, confirms that the show will be spun off to no longer include it’s namesake character nor the actress’s financial or creative participation. “I regret the circumstances that have caused me to be removed from Roseanne. I agreed to the settlement in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved” said Barr in the statement. Werner added, “We are grateful to have reached this agreement to keep our team working as we continue to explore stories of the Conner family.” Original stars John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson, and Michael Fishman will reportedly all return for the spinoff. Barr will, however, retain an executive producer credit on the spinoff, per Writers Guild of America rules.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the spinoff’s working title is The Conners and has been ordered for 10 episodes. The new show, which is expected to premiere in the fall, will follow the Conner family who, “after a sudden turn of events, are forced to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before” and will explore issues with parenthood, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws in working-class America. Though Barr will not be involved in The Conners in any way, she will reportedly retain all rights to the Roseanne Conner character and any future spinoffs or reboots of the original.

“We have received a tremendous amount of support from fans of our show, and it’s clear that these characters not only have a place in our hearts, but in the hearts and homes of our audience,” Goodman, Metcalf, Gilbert, Goranson, and Fishman said in a joint statement. “We all came back last season because we wanted to tell stories about the challenges facing a working-class family today. We are so happy to have the opportunity to return with the cast and crew to continue to share those stories through love and laughter.”

Related: Valerie Jarrett Responds to Roseanne Cancellation: ‘We Have to Turn It Into a Teaching Moment’



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Valerie Jarrett Responds to Roseanne Cancellation: ‘We Have to Turn It Into a Teaching Moment’


Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to Barack Obama, says ABC made the right decision in canceling its hit revival of Roseanne following a racist Twitter rant against her by its star, Roseanne Barr.

In the tweet, which has since been deleted, the comedian specifically said, “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.” According to NBC News, the tweet was in reference to an online claim that Obama’s CIA spied on French presidential candidates. Barr’s tweet was also reportedly in response to another Twitter user, who claimed Jarrett helped Obama “hide a lot.”

In an MSNBC town hall taped hours later titled “Everyday Racism in America,” Jarrett said that she’s doing fine emotionally, but that the event should be turned into a teachable moment for the country.

“First of all, I think we have to turn it into a teaching moment,” Jarrett said. “I’m fine. I’m worried about all the people out there who don’t have a circle of friends and followers coming to their defense.”

Jarrett further added, “The tone does start at the top, and we like to look up to our president and feel as though he reflects the values of our country. But I also think every individual citizen has a responsibility too, and it’s up to all of us to push back. Our government is only going to be as good as we make it be.”

According to Jarrett, Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, personally called her before going public with the news of the show’s cancellation to assure her that Barr’s behavior and language would not be tolerated.

“He wanted me to know before he made it public that he was canceling the show,” she said, noting that Iger added there was “zero tolerance” for that behavior at ABC.

Earlier in the day, Channing Dungey, president of ABC Entertainment, wrote in a brief statement, “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Viacom has also pulled reruns of the show from Paramount Network, TV Land and CMT. HULU has also followed suit and pulled the show from its platform.

Members of the show’s cast and crew also quickly took to social media to share how disgusted and disappointed they were with Barr’s actions.

Sara Gilbert, a producer and actress on the show, wrote on Twitter that Barr’s comments are “abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show.” Emma Kenney, who played Darlene’s daughter on the show, wrote on Twitter, “I am hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed. The racist and distasteful comments from Roseanne are inexcusable.” And Danny Zucker, who was a writer during the first iteration of Roseanne, wrote, “I wrote on the original ‘Roseanne’ where we used to denounce nativism, racism & homophobia. Nauseating to see what she’s become. Looking forward to continue not watching this show.”

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Cast Members and Celebrities Are Praising the Decision to Cancel Roseanne


On Tuesday, May 29, ABC made the swift decision to cancel the Roseanne reboot after its star Rosanne Barr went on a racist Twitter rant that compared Valerie Jarrett, a former Barack Obama aide, to an ape.

In a statement, Channing Dungey, president of ABC Entertainment, wrote, “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.”

The decision came just hours after Barr wrote in a now-deleted tweet, “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.” According to NBC News, the tweet is in reference to an online claim that Obama’s CIA spied on French presidential candidates. Barr’s tweet was in response to another Twitter user, who claimed Jarrett helped Obama “hide a lot.”

Following Barr’s tweet, several cast and crew members on Roseanne spoke out to denounce her words. Wanda Sykes, a consulting producer on the show, said in a tweet prior to the cancelation announcement, “I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.”

Sara Gilbert, who played Barr’s daughter Darlene on the ABC sitcom and is a producer on the show, also wrote that Barr’s comments are “abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show.”

Gilbert added, “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.”

Emma Kenney, who played Darlene’s daughter on the show, wrote on Twitter, “I am hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed. The racist and distasteful comments from Roseanne are inexcusable.”

Danny Zucker, who wrote for the first iteration of Roseanne, wrote, “I wrote on the original ‘Roseanne’ where we used to denounce nativism, racism & homophobia. Nauseating to see what she’s become. Looking forward to continue not watching this show.”

Other celebrities have tweeted out their support for the decision to cancel the show, including Minnie Driver, who currently stars in the network’s show Speechless. “So proud of @ABCNetwork for having the ethical compunction to cancel #Rosanne despite the show’s huge numbers,” she wrote on Twitter. “We too make a show about a middle class family, come and watch us instead #speechless.”

Dan Fogelman, the writer and producer of NBC’s This Is Us, also shared some praise for ABC’s decision on Twitter: “Good for you, ABC. We’re friends again.”

Shonda Rhimes tweeted a simple “thank you” to Dungey for the decision to drop the show.

Debra Messing, who is starring in a revival of Will And Grace on NBC, wrote, “I just heard #rosanne is cancelled. My reaction— tears. I am so relieved and grateful. The hate that has been spewing from those in Trump’s orbit has really taken a toll on all of our souls and psyches. I didn’t believe it would happen. I had lost faith. Thank you @abc.”

Actress Zoe Saldana tweeted her disgust with Barr’s statement, writing on social media, “Shame on you @therealroseanne and @ABCNetwork @RoseanneOnABC Not a single apology can get me to respect your despicable racist character. #EndRacism in #mainstream media NOW!!!”

Director Ava DuVernay praised Dungey for her decision, writing, “For the record, this is Channing Dungey. Sitting on top of your world like a Queen in full judgement of your garbage and taking it out.”

Related Content: ABC Cancels ‘Roseanne’ After Racist Twitter Rant





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