Roseanne actor Michael Fishman has broken his silence hours after Roseanne Barr’s controversial comments forced ABC to cancel the series.
Fishman, who played Barr’s on-screen son DJ Conner, posted a lengthy statement on Twitter that aimed to separate himself and the many talents who worked on Roseanne from Barr’s racial statement.
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“Today is one of the hardest in my life,” Fishman wrote. “I feel devastated, not for the end of the Roseanne show, but for all those who poured their hearts and souls into our jobs, and the audience welcomes us into their homes. Our cast, crew, writers and production staff strived for inclusiveness.”
— Michael Fishman (@ReelMFishman) May 29, 2018
He added, “The words of one person do not exemplify the thinking of all involved.”
In the second paragraph of the statement, Fishman stood directly against Barr’s tweet, which claimed former Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett is a product of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Planet of the Apes.
“I condemn these statements vehemently, they are reprehensible and intolerable. Contradicting my beliefs and outlook on life and society. I have always lived and taught my children to be inclusive. I believe our show strived to embrace different backgrounds and opinions, through open dialogue,” he added.
The 36-year-old actor then explained why he wanted to address the comments now, as opposed to remaining silent. He claimed he wanted to ensure he was not seen a complacent with what Barr said.
“While am I going to miss being part of the ABC family, I believe that to sit back or remain silent in an attempt to distance myself from the actions/statements of others would unintentionally endorse or placate those statements which I find truly offensive,” Fishman continued.
He closed his statement by comparing his character’s background to the diversity he thinks Roseanne‘s creative team wanted to represent. Roseanne‘s latest season sees DJ as a father married to an African American woman serving in the military overseas as he takes care of their daughter on his own.
“My character was designed to represent the inclusive nature of my views.To represent portions of society often marginalized,” Fishman wrote. “In this moment it is important to be clear. We must stand up against bias, hatred, bigotry and ignorance to make society a better place for all.”
Barr has apologized for making the remarks about Jarrett but has not commented on the show’s cancellation as of press time.
Photo Credit: CBS / Cliff Lipson
