Following intense backlash over Roseanne Barr’s Tuesday morning Twitter outburst — in which she issued a racially charged tweet about Obama advisor Valerie Jarret — it seems that the star’s lukewarm apology wasn’t enough to save her show. Yes, you read that correctly. ABC Entertainment has wasted no time in making that call, and network President Channing Dungey has issued a brief statement to that effect:
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.”
The news (both the sudden nature and the plain language itself) does arrive as a shock, given that the reboot was a huge success and delivered the highest ratings of the TV season. And although it was reported that the show would be moving away from political leanings next season, it was clear that the show’s triumph — primarily among a conservative audience — recently emboldened FOX to revive Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing. Will FOX take heed and tone down Allen’s controversial ways in the upcoming season? One can only guess.
In the meantime, the writing may have been on the wall this morning once Sara Gilbert, who appeared to be the driving force behind the reboot, expressed dismay over Barr’s comments.
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
Likewise, consulting producer Wanda Sykes pulled out of the show for the same reason. And now the reboot is no more.
I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018
UPDATE #1 – 3:10pm EST: Deadline reveals that Barr has been dropped by her agency, ICM Partners:
“We are all greatly distressed by the disgraceful and unacceptable tweet from Roseanne Barr this morning. What she wrote is antithetical to our core values, both as individuals and as an agency. Consequently, we have notified her that we will not represent her. Effective immediately, Roseanne Barr is no longer a client.”
UPDATE #2 – 5:10pm EST: Variety is now reporting that Viacom-owned cable channels, including TV Land, CMT, and Paramount Network, have all pulled episodes from Roseanne’s nine-season original run.
