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Yesterday, in a whirlwind of a day, Roseanne Barr once again found herself embroiled in self-inflicted controversy when she took to Twitter to compare Valerie Jarrett, the black senior adviser to former President Barack Obama, to an ape.
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The backlash was swift and severe, culminating into an announcement by ABC’s president Channing Dungey that the network decided to cancel the show.
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” Dungey said.
Roseanne, having seemingly learned her lesson, tweeted earlier in the day that she would be “leaving Twitter.”
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I apologize. I am now leaving Twitter.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 29, 2018
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Hardly 12 hours later, she was back on the social media platform, this time with a new excuse for her abhorrent remark: Ambien.
She does “not want it defended,” she explained, in the very same breath that she attempted to defend herself by claiming that she had taken the sleep aid and, apparently, drank too much while celebrating Memorial Day.
Sanofi, the company that produces Ambien, took to Twitter with a decidedly pointed – and perhaps inadvertently funny – response.
People of all races, religions and nationalities work at Sanofi every day to improve the lives of people around the world. While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.
— Sanofi US (@SanofiUS) May 30, 2018
While staying awake after taking Ambien is known to have side effects, such as a lack of inhibition, they probably stop short at expressly making a person racist.
Ask your doctor if blaming Ambien for your racism is right for you.
— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) May 30, 2018
Roseanne was not the only one claiming that her tweets were indefensible. Sara Gilbert, who plays the role of “Darlene” on the show, took to Twitter to express her dismay with the show’s lead actor and her vile comment.
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
This is incredibly sad and difficult for all of us, as we’ve created a show that we believe in, are proud of, and that audiences love— one that is separate and apart from the opinions and words of one cast member.
— sara gilbert (@THEsaragilbert) May 29, 2018
While Gilbert’s remarks may be well-intended, Roseanne is not simply “one cast member,” but the eponymous star around which the entire show revolves. When Roseanne speaks, it is reflective of all those involved in the production– for better or for worse.
Comedian Wanda Sykes, a writer with the official title “consulting producer,” also announced on Twitter that she would be leaving the show.
I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018
The surprise exit comes from someone who has had to defend the show’s controversial content in the past.
Per The Hill:
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Veteran comedian Sykes was asked in February if “as the world has become more PC” whether the “line for what’s funny on [‘Roseanne’] moved” as well.
“The thing about the Conners is they were a Midwestern family who have limited means, and you don’t see that a lot on TV — except for black people. Black people are allowed to be poor on TV,” Sykes told The Hollywood Reporter with a laugh. “But when the Conners came on, it was like, “Here are real people talking about real problems.”
Roseanne’s slur came in response to an article in SGT Report, which tenuously claimed that “Obama’s CIA also spied on French presidential candidates.” While Jarrett is not specifically identified in the article, a Twitter user mentioned, “Jarrett helped hide a lot,” inciting Barr’s abhorrent comment.
Amid fierce criticism over the since-deleted tweet, Roseanne issued an apology that was met with lukewarm reception.
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
Roseanne may search for more excuses, but one thing is clear: no one – from her cast to the company that produces her sleep aids – wants any part of the toxicity that she has created.
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