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Roseanna Barr, the lead star of Roseanne, found herself in the hot seat this week. The actress got in trouble after making racist tweets about former President Obama’s adviser, Valerie Jarrett. In her tweet, Barr, a known conservative, joked about how Jarrett is the combination of an ape and the Muslim community.
Following the outcry, Barr has deleted the tweet. She has also issued an initial apology after the tweet was sent out. According to Bar, she was sorry for making about her joke that was made in bad taste.
In the wake of the controversy, ABC has decided to cancel the Roseanne revival. Channing Dungey, the president of ABC entertainment, called Barr’s actions abhorrent and repugnant. The tweet didn’t align with the values of the network hence the cancellation:
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” read Dungey’s statement.
Barr’s Roseanne castmates have since spoken out about the incident. Sara Gilbert, who play’s Roseanne’s daughter in the show, expressed her disappointment with Barr. Though the actress feels upset, Gilbert explains that Barr’s opinions are separate from the opinions of the cast and crew:
“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. 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 showrunner, Bruce Helford, has also issued a statement regarding the tweets and the subsequent cancellation. Helford explains how horrified he was with the incident. He feels disappointed that one opinion can take away the hard work of so many people:
“On behalf of all the writers and producers, we worked incredibly hard to create an amazing show. I was personally horrified and saddened by the comments and in no way do they reflect the values of the people who worked so hard to make this the iconic show that it is.”
Barr has since issued yet another apology following the events on Twitter. In the statement she sent to Buzzfeed, the actress seemed more apologetic for her actions. She regrets sending the tweets and costing people their jobs:
“I deeply regret my comments from late last night on Twitter. Above all, I want to apologize to Valerie Jarrett, as well as to ABC and the cast and crew of the Roseanne show. I am sorry for making a thoughtless joke that does not reflect my values – I love all people and am very sorry. Today my words caused hundreds of hardworking people to lose their jobs. I also sincerely apologize to the audience that has embraced my work for decades. I apologize from the bottom of my heart and hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me.”
