Wanda Sykes Says She's Left 'Roseanne.' Others React To Barr's Racist Remarks.
Comedian and writer Wanda Sykes has quit her job as a consulting producer on the show “Roseanne” after star Roseanne Barr went on a racist Twitter rant on Tuesday morning and then apologized.
I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018
Barr initially tweeted: “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.” The tweet was aimed at Valerie Jarrett, a top former aide to then-President Barack Obama, and has since been deleted.
Not long afterward, Barr posted an apology: “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.”
But the apology didn’t negate the first tweet and Twitter users had a lot of criticism to throw at both Barr and ABC. Many demanded that the network release a statement and/or take “Roseanne” off the air.
Early Tuesday afternoon, ABC announced that it had decided to cancel the show and the reactions continued to pour in:
Hey @ABC, Roseanne Barr compared Valerie Jarrett to an ape. There is no apology she can make that justifies @ABC turning a blind eye to this bigotry by airing another second of her show.
Even in the Age of Trump, there are red lines that can never be crossed. This is one.— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 29, 2018
Thank you, @ABCNetwork. You did the right thing. There is not any room in our society for racism or bigotry.
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) May 29, 2018
you can take @RoseanneOnABC out of racism but you can’t take the racism out of @therealroseanne ... https://t.co/sJs7Hn5zrn
— Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) May 29, 2018
As I called my manager to quit working on Roseanne, I was told it was cancelled. I feel so empowered by @iamwandasykes , Channing Dungey and anyone at ABC standing up for morals and abuse of power. Bullies will NEVER win.
— Emma Kenney (@EmmaRoseKenney) May 29, 2018
@brianstelter that's funny. ABC execs figured out a way to control me. They blocked me from promoting anything on ABC because I called out Roseanne Barr & her dangerous tweets. @GMA https://t.co/Q0BbE4uhhg
— Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) May 29, 2018
Not only is Roseanne an overt racist who takes pleasure in comparing Black women to apes, she comes out with Alex Jones levels of batshit (and deeply offensive) conspiracy theories. pic.twitter.com/oXefifyZZn
— Mike P Williams 🌹 (@Mike_P_Williams) May 29, 2018
For the many who pay her no mind, Roseanne Barr tweeted that Valerie Jarrett was the result if a “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby.” Roseanne called a Black woman an ape. Where's joke attempt? https://t.co/J2Nw3mGqUQ
— Touré (@Toure) May 29, 2018
If @ABCNetwork takes no action, they are siding with Roseanne and sending a message that they support her islamophobic and racist statements. https://t.co/0HRDdbom0H
— Symone D. Sanders (@SymoneDSanders) May 29, 2018
I wrote on the original "Roseanne" where we used to denounce nativism, racism & homophobia. Nauseating to see what she's become. Looking forward to continue not watching this show.
— Danny Zuker (@DannyZuker) May 29, 2018
A big thanks to everyone who brought Roseanne back into our lives.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) May 29, 2018
I feel like this is a good time to say Roseanne does not represent conservatives and it was foolish of anyone to pretend she did.
— Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) May 29, 2018
— Michael Fishman (@ReelMFishman) May 29, 2018
As I called my manager to quit working on Roseanne, I was told it was cancelled. I feel so empowered by @iamwandasykes , Channing Dungey and anyone at ABC standing up for morals and abuse of power. Bullies will NEVER win.
— Emma Kenney (@EmmaRoseKenney) May 29, 2018
“Roseanne” co-star Sara Gilbert also tweeted a statement about the show on Tuesday afternoon, prior to the cancellation announcement: “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.”
A second tweet from Gilbert said that Barr’s views were just the “opinions and words of one cast member.”
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
The story has been updated with comment from Sara Gilbert and ABC’s decision.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.