ABC Cancels 'Roseanne' After Roseanne Barr's Racist Tweet Sparks Outrage

The show had already been picked up for a second season.

Roseanne Barr on "Roseanne"
(Image credit: Getty Images)

ABC has canceled Roseanne after its star, Roseanne Barr, tweeted a racist message about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett Tuesday morning. The tweet sparked outrage online, with viewers and celebrities alike calling on ABC to take action.

“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a statement, according to Variety.

Barr's tweet, which she later apologized for, came a week after the season finale of the show's new revival. It had been renewed for a second season after breaking ratings records during its premiere. The team behind the show had already speculated about bringing back previous guest stars, with hopes to bring back Johnny Galecki and even George Clooney.

Consulting producer Wanda Sykes had tweeted she would not return for the second season, and star Sara Gilbert, who played Darlene, spoke out against Barr's tweet. "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 wrote. "I am disappointed in her actions to say the least."

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Megan Friedman
Editor

Megan Friedman is the former managing editor of the Newsroom at Hearst. She's worked at NBC and Time, and is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.