Five years have passed since Roseanne Barr’s highly publicized “cancelation,” yet the comedian still feels the sting of being singled out and ostracized. In a recent interview, Roseanne reflected on the tumultuous events that led to her downfall, revealing a mix of emotions, from anger and bitterness to forgiveness and resilience.
Roseanne’s rise to fame was nothing short of phenomenal. The reboot of her hit sitcom “Roseanne” was a massive success, catapulting her to the top of the ratings charts. However, it all came crashing down with a single tweet. In the infamous post, Roseanne compared White House advisor Valerie Jarrett to the “Planet of the Apes” movies, sparking widespread outrage and backlash. Despite her claims of ignorance and Ambien-induced confusion, the damage was done.
The consequences were swift and severe. ABC terminated her contract, killed off her character, and rebranded the show as “The Conners.” Roseanne was left reeling, her reputation in tatters. “Oh my God, they just hated me so badly,” she recalled. “I had never known that they hated me like that. They hate me because I have talent, because I have an opinion.”
Roseanne feels that the network denied her the opportunity to apologize and make amends. Instead, she was met with silence and abandonment by her former colleagues and friends. “I’m the only person who’s lost everything, whose life’s work was stolen, stolen by people who I thought loved me,” she lamented.
Roseanne draws parallels between her situation and that of fellow comedians Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K., who faced backlash for their own controversies. However, she believes that she was treated more harshly, despite not committing any actual wrongdoing. “They didn’t do it to anyone else in Hollywood, although they always throw in Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K. Well, Louis C.K. did lose everything, but he committed an actual [offense].”
The fallout from her ousting has also led to a rift between Roseanne and her former sitcom costars. “I can’t know what they think or feel. I don’t know why they did what they did. I’m not like them,” she confessed.
Despite the bitterness and anger that still linger, Roseanne claims to have forgiven those who wronged her. “I forgive everybody,” she declared. “I started thinking that God took me out of there to save me. And once I started thinking that way, I was, like, a lot better off.”
As Roseanne prepares to return to TV with a new comedy special for Fox Nation, she remains unapologetic and true to herself. In a preview of the special, she asks the crowd, “Has anyone else here been fired recently?” The question is met with laughter and applause, a testament to Roseanne’s enduring talent and appeal.
