Roseanne Barr Returning With New Comedy Special

Roseanne Barr is making a return to the comedy stage with a brand new special set to air next year. In a press release from Fox Nation, the streaming service announced the special is titled A Roseanne Comedy Special, and it is set to be released exclusively on FOX Nation sometime in early 2023. The new special marks Barr's first stand-up special since Roseanne Barr: Blonde N Bitchin' aired on HBO in November 2006.

In a statement about the special, Fox Nation President Jason Klarman said, "Roseanne is a comedy icon whose humor connects with the American audience like no other. Her ability to channel the challenges of everyday people and find the humor in it all has earned her the passionate following of millions of dedicated fans. We are thrilled to add her comedy special exclusively to the FOX Nation catalog." The streamer also noted that "the one-hour special will feature Ms. Barr's signature comedic take on a variety of topics, with no subject off limits."

Barr has found herself a figure of much controversy over the past few years, starting back in 2018 when she was fired from the reboot of her classic '90s sitcom, Roseanne. Barr was fired and the show was canceled after the comedian tweeted a racist comment about former Barack Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett. Barr blamed the incident on Ambien. In her tweet, Barr suggested that Jarrett was the product of a cross between the "Muslim Brotherhood" and the "Planet of the Apes."

She later apologized for her "bad joke," tweeting, "I apologize. I am now leaving Twitter." A short while later, she tweeted again, writing, "I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans." She then said she was "truly sorry" for ridiculing Jarrett's "politics and her looks." Barr added, "I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste."

Series actress Sarah Gilbert convinced ABC to give her and the producers a chance to salvage the show. They devise a spinoff of the iconic sitcom, which became The Conners, a series that follows the Conner family members in the wake of the death of their matriarch, Barr's character. In the series premiere, the fictional Roseanne Conner was revealed to have died of an opioid overdose. While many fans of the show were upset about this change, The Conners quickly became a hit and will kick off its fifth season on Wednesday night on ABC.