Roseanne returns to Twitter after ABC cancels show; blames Ambien for racist tweet

Sara M Moniuszko | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption ABC cancels 'Roseanne' hours after Roseanne Barr's racist tweet

That didn't last long.

Roseanne Barr is back on Twitter hours after her racist tweet about former Obama White House adviser Valerie Jarrett led to the cancellation of her hit ABC show Roseanne.

On Tuesday night, Barr retweeted followers who called ABC's decision to ax her show hypocritical, and replied that she thought that the target of her tweet was "Saudi" and didn't realize the racist implications of her post. At one point, she defended herself by tweeting: "yes, I mistakenly thought (Jarrett) was white."

"Don't feel sorry for me, guys!!" she wrote in a separate post. "I just want to apologize to the hundreds of people, and wonderful writers (all liberal) and talented actors who lost their jobs on my show due to my stupid tweet."

She even offered an explanation as to what caused her to tweet.

"It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting-it was memorial day too-i went 2 far & do not want it defended-it was egregious Indefensible," Barr tweeted. "I made a mistake I wish I hadn't but...don't defend it please. ty."

guys I did something unforgiveable so do not defend me. It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting-it was memorial day too-i went 2 far & do not want it defended-it was egregious Indefensible. I made a mistake I wish I hadn't but...don't defend it please. ty — Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018

She also issued an additional apology to Jarrett, tagging her in a tweet. "@ValerieJarrett i don't know if u saw it, but I wanted2 apologize to u 4 hurting and upsetting u with an insensitive & tasteless tweet," Barr wrote. "I am truly sorry-my whole life has been about fighting racism. I made a terrible mistake wh caused hundreds of ppl 2 lose their jobs. so sorry!"

@ValerieJarrett i don't know if u saw it, but I wanted2 apologize to u 4 hurting and upsetting u with an insensitive & tasteless tweet. I am truly sorry-my whole life has been about fighting racism. I made a terrible mistake wh caused hundreds of ppl 2 lose their jobs. so sorry! — Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018

Barr's tweet spree began several hours after Channing Dungey, president of ABC Entertainment, issued a statement to USA TODAY denouncing Barr's original tweet, after the star's apology failed to halt a backlash that included the show's consulting producer, Wanda Sykes.

"Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show," Dungey's statement read.

Barr's comment, which has now been deleted, was sent in response to a tweet that accused Jarrett of helping "hide" misdeeds for the Obama administration.

"muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,” Barr wrote, using Jarrett's initials. Jarrett, 61, is African American and worked for Obama from 2009 to 2017.

Barr apologized for the tweet, describing it as "a bad joke."

I apologize 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. — Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 29, 2018

"I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks," Barr said. "I should have known better. Forgive me — my joke was in bad taste."

Barr's agency, ICM Partners, said in a statement Tuesday that Barr's tweet was "disgraceful," ''unacceptable" and "antithetical to our core values." The talent representative says it has ended its relationship with Barr "effective immediately."

Viacom cable networks Paramount Network, TV Land and CMT will be pulling all Roseanne reruns from their schedules beginning Wednesday. And Hulu yanked episodes of the series.

Jarrett responded Tuesday during a previously scheduled appearance on the MSNBC special Everyday Racism in America. "I think we have to turn it into a teaching moment," she said.

On the program, which airs Tuesday night, Jarrett added, "I’m fine. I’m worried about all the people out there who don’t have a circle of friends and followers coming to their defense."

Roseanne comedy returned to ABC in March, two decades after it ended its first run from 1988 to 1997, reuniting the original cast including John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert.

The much-awaited 10th season's two-episode opener attracted 18.2 million viewers in preliminary Nielsen ratings, making it the season's top premiere. The return was large enough to prompt ABC to quickly order another season.

But the show has been beset by controversy.

Dealing with hot-button issues such as health care, social security and opioid addiction, the reboot received backlash for some of its pointed jokes, including jabs at minority-led series Black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat.

Most of the dissent has been focused on the show's star. Barr only recently returned to Twitter after taking a break from the social media site following a December feud with people who responded harshly to her tweets praising President Trump and criticizing Hillary Clinton.

More: Inside Roseanne Barr’s history of offensive tweets

While Barr received a congratulatory call from Trump after the heated exchange, even then, fellow comedians were left with mixed feelings.

On Tuesday, Sykes was the first to announce she'd pull out of the show with a short and simple message of disapproval.

"I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC," she wrote on Twitter.

Gilbert, who plays Darlene Conner on the show, also denounced 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

"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," she tweeted. "I am disappointed in her actions to say the least."

Emma Kenney, who plays Darlene's eldest child, Harris Conner-Healy, shared her disapproval.

"I am hurt, embarrassed, and disappointed. The racist and distasteful comments from Roseanne are inexcusable," she wrote.

Writer Danny Zuker also tweeted his disapproval.

"I wrote on the original "Roseanne" where we used to denounce nativism, racism & homophobia. Nauseating to see what she's become," he wrote. "Looking forward to continue not watching this show."

Actor Don Cheadle called out the apparent racism in Barr's tweets.

you can take @RoseanneOnABC out of racism but you can’t take the racism out of @therealroseanne ... https://t.co/sJs7Hn5zrn — Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) May 29, 2018

"you can take @RoseanneOnABC out of racism but you can’t take the racism out of @therealroseanne," he said.

Actress Patricia Arquette also spoke up.

I am repulsed that Valerie Jarret had that racist and bigoted "joke" made at her expense and I am sickened that any Black or Muslim person has to keep hearing this sickness in 2018. — Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) May 29, 2018

"I am repulsed that Valerie Jarret had that racist and bigoted "joke" made at her expense and I am sickened that any Black or Muslim person has to keep hearing this sickness in 2018," she wrote.

Some tweeted their support for the actress, including British media personality Katie Hopkins.

"Never apologise @therealroseanne It only encourages the (expletive). Stand Strong," she wrote with the hashtag #MAGA.

Rosie O'Donnell called Barr's tweets "racist" and "childish" but overall seemed to accept the actress' apology.

i love roseanne quite a bit



the comment roseanne tweeted was racist and childish

and beneath her best self

she has apologized



twitter is a dangerous place — ROSIE (@Rosie) May 29, 2018

Actor Tom Arnold, Barr's ex-husband, who played Arnie Thomas in the original Roseanne series, also weighed in.

Anyone who worked on "Roseanne" 88'-94' knows there's a 50% chance Rosey calls me today & tells me to go fire Donald Trump.

They also know there's 100% chance I'd show up at the White House, give him 5 mins to say goodbye & get his crap before I through him & it out the window. — Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) May 29, 2018

"Anyone who worked on 'Roseanne' 88'-94' knows there's a 50% chance Rosey calls me today & tells me to go fire Donald Trump," he wrote. "They also know there's 100% chance I'd show up at the White House, give him 5 mins to say goodbye & get his crap before I through him & it out the window."

Contributing: Carly Mallenbaum, Andrea Mandell, Erin Jensen

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