Roseanne Barr Adds 300K Twitter Followers After Show Cancellation

Roseanne Barr's Twitter audience has exploded since last week, after ABC canceled Roseanne because [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

Roseanne Barr's Twitter audience has exploded since last week, after ABC canceled Roseanne because of her racist tweet about former Obama aide Valerie Jarrett.

On May 29, the day Barr suggested Jarrett looked like the offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood and Planet of the Apes characters, Barr had 646,000 followers, according to the Wayback Machine's screenshot from that day. But as of Monday afternoon, she now has 878,000 followers, a 35.9 percent jump.

"The old saying is 'there's no such thing as bad publicity' and this appears to be Exhibit A," The Hill media reporter Joe Concha told The Wrap.

Concha suggests this audience growth shows many believe Barr for a "raw deal" after ABC dropped the show. The media's focus on the scandal also "attracted people to her feed to either watch the train wreck or out of simple curiosity," Concha said.

Barr also asked her fans to help her get more followers in a May 30 tweet. The message has been retweeted 32,000 times and liked 78,000 times.

"Can you all help me get more followers here? The more I have the more my words will have weight," Barr tweeted. "I am a fighter 4 FAiRNESS in all aspects of US life. I am tired of being smeared-over a stupid mistake erasing 30 yrs of activism."

Barr also apologized for the Jarrett remark. However, she has not given a public interview. She was scheduled to speak with Joe Rogan on Friday, but the interview was canceled. She did record an interview with Rabbi Shmuley, a close friend, but he refused to release it until Barr tells him to.

"I did record a podcast with my friend [Barr] & I have decided not to release it out of respect for Roseanne," Shmuley wrote. "I want to give her space to reflect on the recent events and releasing the recording is a decision she will make at the appropriate time."

On Monday, co-star Sara Gilbert said on The Talk she stands by ABC's decision, but is sad for the show's crewmembers who are now scrambling to find new jobs.

"I am proud of the show we made. The show has always been about diversity, love and inclusion. And it's sad to see it end in this way," said Gilbert, one of The Talk's regular co-hosts. "I'm sad for the people who lost their jobs in the process. However, I do stand behind the decision that ABC has made."

Barr has been photographed by the paparazzi twice since Tuesday. On Sunday, she was seen outside her Salt Lake City, Utah home, taking a picture of the license plate for a news van parked outside.

The actress has not tweeted since Thursday.

"I end by offering everyone involved one more apology and prayers for healing of our divided nation," Barr wrote. "Tomorrow is Shabbat and I will continue to pray that everything for everyone goes forward & ends well for all. signing off twitter for a while. love u guys!"

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