Roseanne's sitcom is cancelled after racist tweet

The reboot of the sitcom Roseanne has been cancelled after writer and star Roseanne Barr tweeted racist comments about an African-American member of the Obama administration.

Ms Barr, who wrote and starred in the sitcom that recently returned to ABC after 20 years off-screen, tweeted that former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett - born in Iran to American parents - has connections to the Muslim Brotherhood, and compared her to an ape.

Barr wrote: “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,” (Ms Jarrett’s initials).

The ABC network announced the cancellation of the show, saying: “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.” 

Barr's talent agency ICM Partners also dropped her as a client, shortly after the news broke.

Ms Barr apologised for her tweets but stood by her statement, rejecting calls that she is a racist by stating that "Muslims are not a race".

 

hey guys, don't defend me, it's sweet of you 2 try, but...losing my show is 0 compared 2 being labelled a racist over one tweet-that I regret even more.

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018

 

@ValerieJarrett i don't know if u saw it, but I wanted2 apologize to u 4 hurting and upsetting u with an insensitive & tasteless tweet. I am truly sorry-my whole life has been about fighting racism. I made a terrible mistake wh caused hundreds of ppl 2 lose their jobs. so sorry!

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 30, 2018

The decision to cancel Roseanne comes after record ratings for the show, inlcuding a congratualtory phone call from President Donald Trump and a revenue of $45 million between March and May of this year, according to reports. 

This is not the first time the show has caused controversy.

Both the actress Roseanne Barr and her alter-ego on the show are outspoken supporters of Trump and the political opinions voiced on the show have caused arguments both on- and off-screen.

In 2009, she caused offence by dressing as Adolf Hitler, pulling cookies shaped like people out of the oven for the cover of Heeb, a magazine aimed at young Jews.