Photo: ABC
Boy, Roseanne Barr is probably really regretting the last 12 hours or so. The comedian, whose revived TV show was an early ratings hit and renewed for an 11th season (following this year's revival) has just been cancelled by the network after Barr went on a Twitter rant earlier today. ABC president Channing Dungey issued a statement stating, "Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."
Barr, whose always caught fire from some for her political views got on Twitter earlier today and took a shot at former White House aide Valerie Jarrett, calling her the offspring of the “Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes” in response to a social media conspiracy theory about Obama. Barr later deleted the tweet and issued an apology to Jarrett and all Americans, stating it was a bad joke and she was also leaving Twitter. But the damage had been done, Roseanne showrunner Wanda Sykes announced that she would not return to the show due to the matter and other cast members denounced her comments. Sykes' departure is also on the heels of another showrunner, Whitney Cummings departing the show earlier this May (citing a packed schedule and touring requirements).
The revival of Roseanne, which was easily the biggest ratings-earner of all the revived TV of late, always had the looming question of Barr's politics surrounding it. Some of which made for good television plot points, some of it just left those involved with the show asking the public to recognize the difference between the person and the character. After the premiere episode of the show ratings had dropped off fairly dramatically week over week, alluding that many viewers might've tuned in out of curiosity and were not interested afterward or perhaps they just couldn't make that separation in their minds. With its early success, ABC already gave the show a fast renewal. Unfortunately in the end, slumping ratings plus a star making headlines for all the wrong reasons proved not worth the time for the network.
Social media, sinking careers since 2005.
Update: Roseanne Barr has also now been dropped by her agency, ICM. Who announced the separation of ties with the comedian and sent this memo to its employees.
"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."