Today has been the craziest in a long time.
Disney and ABC have cancelled “Roseanne” swiftly after the star Roseanne Barr Tweeted offensive comments about Obama aide Valerie Jarrett. These Tweets, commbined with other statements Barr has made recently, left the network no choice.
ABC President Channing Dungey: “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.”
Just two weeks ago, “Roseanne” was touted by ABC as the centerpiece of their new schedule. They thought they’d tapped into the Trump audience that wanted to “make America great again.”
Ironically it was the hate associated with that phrase– the implicit message that America was only great when white people, straight, and from some Norman Rockwell envisioned painting ruled the country– that did Roseanne in.
How terrible for the young people on that show who were probably enjoying a taste of success. But for the others, all I can say is the incredible cynicism of being part of something you didn’t agree with only for the money– they deserve what they got. That goes for all the other adult members of the cast who voiced no opposition to Roseanne’s return as Archie Bunker gone wild.
And now Barr is finished– FINISHED — in Hollywood. She was already finished. ABC had previously passed on a pilot with her and Goodman as other characters. “Roseanne” only returned because Sara Gilbert, successful on CBS’s “The Talk,” pitched the idea. John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf were very successful on other arenas. Only Roseanne couldn’t get work. And now she never will again.
Hallelujah!
