'Roseanne' star Michael Fishman slams Roseanne Barr tweet defenders
USA Today • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Actor Michael Fishman, known for playing D.J. Conner on "Roseanne," expressed frustration over ongoing social media misinformation defending Roseanne Barr's racist 2018 tweet that led to the show's cancellation.
- Fishman highlighted that many comments inaccurately claim Barr's tweet was a joke and blame "woke" culture for the show's end, a narrative he strongly rejects as perpetuating a harmful lie.
- Barr's tweet compared Valerie Jarrett, a Black former Obama adviser, to the Muslim Brotherhood and "Planet of the Apes," prompting ABC to cancel "Roseanne" immediately due to its racist nature.
- The series was later revived as "The Conners" without Barr, with Fishman and other original cast members returning; the show concluded in 2025 after seven seasons.
- Fishman urged people to stop defending Barr's tweet, emphasizing that dehumanizing individuals is never acceptable or humorous, and called for more responsible discourse on social media.
