ABC announced on Tuesday that it canceled the Roseanne reboot after the series star, Roseanne Barr, posted a series of racist statements on Twitter, including one in which she likened former President Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to an ape and falsely implied she had connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. The comment outraged thousands of Twitter users and prompted ABC to release the following statement to Refinery29: "Roseanne [Barr]'s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."
ABC's decision came as a surprise to many who thought the network, owned by Disney, would surely choose ratings and money over making an impactful statement against racism, especially because this isn't the first time Barr has peddled bigoted ideas online. In the past, Barr has used her platform to push conspiracy theories, such as claiming Democrats were running a pedophilia ring out of a pizza shop in Washington, D.C. More recently, she accused David Hogg, who survived the mass shooting in the Parkland, Florida, of addressing the crowd at the March for Our Lives rally with a Nazi salute. BuzzFeed reports she has since apologised for the tweet.
Following backlash Tuesday morning, Barr also apologised for her comments on Jarrett's appearance. "I apologise to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks. I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste."
Her sentiments, however, were far too little, too late for many in Hollywood, including some of her former co-stars like Emma Kenney and Sara Gilbert, who argued that Barr's tweets were "distasteful" and "abhorrent," respectively. Read on to see full statements from some of the industry's biggest names.
Wanda Sykes
Before ABC had cancelled the series, Wanda Sykes, who had worked on the reboot's first season as a consulting producer, announced that she had quit in a simple tweet: "I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC."
Robert Iger
Bob Iger, the chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, tweeted out ABC's statement on Tuesday, adding, "There was only one thing to do here, and that was the right thing."
Sara Gilbert
Sara Gilbert, who executive produced and starred in the show, released two statements on Twitter, calling Barr's comments "abhorrent."
"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," she wrote. "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."
Gilbert has yet to comment publicly since ABC canceled the series.
Emma Kenney
Emma Kenney, who starred in the reboot as Darlene Conner's (Gilbert) daughter, Harris, echoed Gilbert's remarks. "I am hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed," she tweeted. "The racist and distasteful comments from Roseanne are inexcusable."
Kenney also wrote a now-deleted tweet, which read, "As I called my manager to quit working on Roseanne, I found out the show got cancelled. I feel so empowered by @IAmWandaSykes , Channing Dungey and those at ABC standing up against abuse of power and lack of values. Bullies do not win. Ever."
Shonda Rhimes
Legendary producer Shonda Rhimes tweeted that although ABC's decision unfairly punished the others in the cast and crew, the network ultimately made "a human" choice.
"The terrible part is all of the talented innocent people who worked on that show now suffer because of this," she wrote, including the hashtag "not justice."
"But honestly she got what she deserved," Rhimes continued, referencing Barr. "As I tell my 4 year old, one makes a choice with one's actions. Roseanne made a choice. A racist one. ABC made a choice. A human one."
Kenya Barris
The Black-ish creator kept things simple by posting the words "Bye-bye!!!" alongside a screenshot of the cancelation news. The response was likely fuelled by a previous episode of Roseanne in which Roseanne and Dan Conner joked about "all the shows about Black and Asian families." Though many interpreted the comment as a direct swipe at Black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat, Barr recently told Vanity Fair "it was intended to be supportive of their shows."
Kumail Nanjiani
The Big Sick actor wrote that while he's grateful for Roseanne's cancellation, he believes that the backlash will be "deafening."
"I'm glad Roseanne is canceled. The backlash to its cancellation is going to be a deafening nightmare," he tweeted. "Nothing good has come of this entire thing."
Debra Messing
"I just heard # rosanne [sic] is cancelled," the Will & Grace star wrote. "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."
Ava DuVernay
The Wrinkle in Time director praised ABC President Channing Dungey for her bold decision to pull one of the network's top-performing programs.
"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," she wrote.
Michael Fishman
Michael Fishman, who portrayed D.J. Conner, released the following statement Tuesday:
"Today is one of the hardest days of my life. I feel devastated, not for the end of the Roseanne show, but for all those who poured their hearts and souls into our jobs, and the audience that welcomed us into their homes. Our cast, crew, writers, and production staff strived for inclusiveness, with numerous storylines to reflect inclusiveness. The words of one person do not exemplify the thinking of all involved.
"I condemn these statements vehemently. They are reprehensible and intolerable, contradicting my beliefs and outlook on society. I have always lived and taught my children to be inclusive. I believe our show strived to embrace different backgrounds and opinions, through open dialogue. While I am going to miss being part of the ABC family, I believe that to sit back, or remain silent in an attempt to distance myself from the actions/statements of others would unintentionally endorse or placate those statements which I find truly offensive.
"My character was designed to represent the inclusive nature of my views. To represent portions of society often marginalised. In this moment it is important to be clear. We must stand-up against; bias, hatred, bigotry and ignorance to make society a better place for all."
Rita Moreno
Famed actress Rita Moreno called out Barr for her "meanness" and for breaking her heart. The One Day At A Time star didn't mince words addressing the controversy.
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