Roseanne Barr Claims She Is Leaving Country When ‘The Conners’ Airs

Roseanne Barr is planning to not only skip town, but also the country, when ABC premieres The Conners.

ABC’s cancellation of its Roseanne revival in response to racist tweets is still something of a sore spot for its namesake actress Roseanne Barr, so much so that when the spinoff series The Conners premieres next month, she plans to leave the country just to avoid seeing it. Appearing again on Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s podcast, the comedian and actress revealed that she will not be among the audience watching the series, and will instead be far away.

“I have an opportunity to go to Israel for a few months and study with my favorite teachers over there, and that’s where I’m going to go and probably move somewhere there and study with my favorite teachers,” Barr said in a new podcast, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I have saved a few pennies and I’m so lucky I can go…and study with any rabbi that I can ask to teach me, and it’s my great joy and privilege to be a Jewish woman.”

Barr continued that the Roseanne cancellation was “a death to me. The death of a character I created,” a sentiment that has been expressed by fans who have told her that they feel as though the alphabet network “killed our mother” when they canceled the show.

Despite her plans to leave the country upon the premiere of the spinoff series, Barr holds no hard feelings towards the cast members and the crew.

“I’m not going to curse it or bless it. I’m staying neutral. That’s what I do. I’m staying neutral. I’m staying away from it. Not wishing bad on anyone and I don’t wish good for my enemies. I don’t. I can’t. I just stay neutral. That’s what I gotta do,” she said. “I have some mental health issues of depression and stuff. I got to stay in the middle or I’ll go dark, and I don’t want to go dark again.”

Barr stated in a recent tweet that she is “doing better” following the months-long controversy that some dubbed a “fatal mistake.” Her newfound health is reportedly in part thanks to a new doctor, time away from the spotlight, and support from former co-star John Goodman, who recently came to her defense and stated that “I know, for a fact that she’s not a racist.”

The Conners premieres Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.