Roseanne Barr Responds: ‘I’m Not a Racist, I Never Was & I Never Will Be’

Roseanne Barr insists that she’s “not a racist” and “never will be,” either.

The 65-year-old once again defended herself Wednesday from backlash that ensued from her racially insensitive tweet that ultimately resulted in the cancellation of her ABC sitcom, Roseanne.

“I’m not a racist, I never was & I never will be. One stupid joke in a lifetime of fighting 4 civil rights 4 all minorities, against networks, studios, at the expense of my nervous system/family/wealth will NEVER b taken from me,” Barr wrote.

The 65-year-old has been active on Twitter in the 24 hours since her firing, both apologizing for her remark about former Barack Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett and defending herself from the ensuing backlash.

After her tweet made headlines, she apologized to Jarrett “and to all Americans” for the tweet comparing Jarrett to an ape. But hours later, after Roseanne was canceled, she took to Twitter to defend herself, implying her tweet was the result of an Ambien sleeping pill she took before sending the tweet.

She also wrote specifically that her tweet was “not racist” and that she’d speak more about it on comedian Joe Rogan’s podcast on Friday.

Many of Barr’s Roseanne co-stars and co-workers have condemned her words. Sara Gilbert, who plays Barr’s on-screen daughter, Darlene Conner, wrote in a statement Tuesday just before ABC announced the cancellation that she was “disappointed” in Barr’s “abhorrent” remarks.

Later Tuesday night, Barr responded to Gilbert’s tweet, writing, “Wow! unreal.”

Michael Fishman, who played Barr’s on-screen son, D.J. Conner, also condemned Barr’s tweet. In a lengthy statement shared to Twitter, he wrote that he was “devastated” for the rest of the cast and crew who lost well-paying jobs as a result of the tweet.

Barr clapped back at Fishman’s tweet, writing that he threw her “under the bus.” He responded, telling her that her Tuesday remarks were “so out of character.” Wednesday afternoon, she told him to “Please leave me alone, thanks.”

Other former Roseanne employees spoke out, like producers Wanda Sykes and Tom Werner, as well as her ex-husband and co-star from the original series in the ’80s and ’90s, Tom Arnold.

Celebrities like Ellen Pompeo, Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Carrey, Charlie Sheen and Rita Moreno spoke out against Barr and in support of ABC’s decision to pull the plug on the show.

The network announced the abrupt cancellation Tuesday afternoon, with ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey calling Barr’s remarks “abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” according to a report from Entertainment Tonight.