{"id":165523,"date":"2018-05-30T02:17:04","date_gmt":"2018-05-30T06:17:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=165523"},"modified":"2018-05-30T02:17:04","modified_gmt":"2018-05-30T06:17:04","slug":"abc-cancels-roseanne-following-stars-racist-tweet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2018\/05\/30\/abc-cancels-roseanne-following-stars-racist-tweet\/","title":{"rendered":"ABC cancels ‘Roseanne’ following star’s racist tweet"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"ABC<\/a>
ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said the comment \u201cis abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values.\u201d Barr had apologized and deleted her Monday-night tweet, calling it a \u201cbad joke,\u201d but the damage had already been done. (Photo: Roseanne\/Facebook<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

NEW YORK \u2014 \u00a0ABC cancelled its hit reboot of \u201cRoseanne\u201d on Tuesday following star Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet that referred to former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett as a product of the Muslim Brotherhood and the \u201cPlanet of the Apes.\u201d<\/p>\n

ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said the comment \u201cis abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values.\u201d Barr had apologized and deleted her Monday-night tweet, calling it a \u201cbad joke,\u201d but the damage had already been done.<\/p>\n

Barr was also dumped by her talent agency, ICM Partners.<\/p>\n

The revival of the comedy was a surprise smash for ABC, owned by the Walt Disney Co., and was counted on to lead the network’s fortunes next season. Its first new episode in March was seen by more than 25 million people, with delayed viewing counted in, numbers that are increasingly rare in network television. ABC expected advertisers to pay millions of dollars for the chance to be seen during commercial breaks on television’s most popular comedy after \u201cThe Big Bang Theory.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it was all killed in a 53-character tweet.<\/p>\n

One of the few network shows about a working-class family, \u201cRoseanne\u201d attracted considerable attention upon its return when Barr’s character supported President Donald Trump. That made the show popular with conservative viewers, and Trump himself suggested the character’s backing had a lot to do with the show’s success.<\/p>\n

Barr herself has a history of diving into political conspiracy theories on her Twitter feed, and she ended her Memorial Day weekend with a series of statements. She criticized Democratic financier George Soros and tweeted that Chelsea Clinton was \u201cChelsea Soros Clinton,\u201d implying she was married to a nephew of Soros. Clinton herself corrected Barr online. Donald Trump Jr. retweeted two of Barr’s statements about Soros, although not the remark about Jarrett.<\/p>\n

Jarrett, who is black, was brought up in response to Twitter commentary that raised her name in relation to an Obama conspiracy theory. Barr tweeted: \u201cmuslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby<\/p>\n

She later tweeted an apology to Jarrett. \u201cForgive me,\u201d she wrote. \u201cMy joke was in bad taste.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jarrett, who appeared at the taping of an MSNBC show about racism on Tuesday, said she hoped the incident could be turned into a teaching moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m fine,\u201d she said. \u201cI’m worried about the people out there who don’t have a circle of friends and followers who come right to their defence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barr was quickly condemned. Comic Wanda Sykes, a \u201cRoseanne\u201d writer, tweeted that she wouldn’t be returning to the show. Sara Gilbert, a co-star, also tweeted that the remark was abhorrent.<\/p>\n

It was a quick decision at ABC for Dungey, who is the first African-American to serve as programming chief for one of the major broadcast networks, and her boss, network president Ben Sherwood. Disney chief executive Robert Iger tweeted his approval: \u201cThere was only one thing to do here, and that was the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Three weeks earlier, \u201cRoseanne\u201d was the toast of ABC’s annual presentation of its programming plans to advertisers. Sherwood even joked then: \u201cIf anyone came to play a drinking game based on how many times we mention ‘Roseanne,’ you’re welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoseanne\u201d earned an estimated $45 million in advertising revenue for ABC through its nine episodes that started airing in March, according to Kantar Media. The firm estimates that the 13 episodes that had been ordered for next season would have brought in as much as $60 million, with more through repeat episodes.<\/p>\n

The cancellation has no clear precedent in television history, said David Bianculli, professor at Rowan University in New Jersey. The closest analogy is CBS pulling the plug on the Smothers Brothers variety show due to their anti-war views in the late 1960s and the same network not renewing \u201cLou Grant\u201d at its peak, which star Ed Asner always contended was due to his outspoken political beliefs.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoseanne Barr’s comments were appalling and reminiscent of horrific time in our history when racism was not only acceptable but promoted by Hollywood,\u201d said Derrick Johnson, NAACP president and CEO. \u201cWe applaud ABC for taking a stand against racism by cancelling ‘Roseanne.’ We commend the network and … Dungey for placing the values of diversity, inclusion and respect for humanity above ratings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barr got what she deserved, said Shonda Rhimes, creator of hit ABC shows like \u201cGrey’s Anatomy\u201d and \u201cScandal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I tell my 4-year-old, one makes a choice with one’s actions,\u201d Rhimes tweeted. \u201cRoseanne made a choice. A racist one. ABC made a choice. A human one.\u201d<\/p>\n

ICM dropped Barr within hours of the cancellation, saying in a statement that the agency was \u201cgreatly distressed by the disgraceful and unacceptable\u201d tweet. Bruce Helford, executive producer of \u201cRoseanne,\u201d said he was \u201cpersonally horrified and saddened by the comments and in no way do they reflect the values of the people who worked so hard to make this the iconic show that it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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