Roseanne cancelled after ‘abhorrent’ tweet about Obama aide

0 Roseanne Barr’s revived show axed following what TV producers called a ‘repugnant’ Twitter rant Roseanne Barr’s revived television series has been cancelled after the US comedian compared a former aide to Barack Obama to an ape.

Americannetworkabcaxed the show after the 65-year-old comedian wrote in a post on Twitter that former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett, who was born in Iran, was the “baby” of the Muslim Brotherhood and Planet Of The Apes.

Barr later deleted the tweet and apologised before saying she would be quitting Twitter.

But the tweet sparked outrage online and last night ABC Entertainment cancelled the comedian’s show, which was revived earlier this year.

In a statement ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said: “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.” Bob Iger, the chief executive of Disney, which owns ABC, supported the decision. On Twitter, Iger wrote: “There was only one thing to do here, and that was the right thing.”

Barr’s remarks were in response to a thread that alleged Jarrett had helped to conceal CIA spying.

After her tweet drew criticism, the TV star deleted it and posted that she was leaving Twitter.

In two posts Barr wrote: “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. I apologize. I am now leaving Twitter.”

Barr’s co-star Sara Gilbert, who plays Darlene, was one of the first to condemn the tweets, calling them “abhorrent”.

She said: “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.”

In March, Barr told ABC’S Good Morning America that US president Donald Trump had called her to congratulate the ratings success her revived sitcom had experienced.

Barr has been a vocal backer of Donald Trump and also plays one of his supporters in Roseanne.

At the time Barr said the Republican was happy for her, adding: “I’ve known him for many years and he’s done a lot of nice things for me over the years.”

The return of Roseanne was watched by an estimated 18.4 million viewers in the US. Its original run came to an end in May 1997.