‘The Talk’ Host Sara Gilbert Says She’s Sad for ‘Roseanne’ Crew Who Lost Their Jobs

The Talk host and Roseanne star Sara Gilbert may stand by ABC’s decision to cancel the beloved series, but she is also “sad” for the cast and crew who lost their jobs as a result.

During Monday’s episode of The Talk, Sara Gilbert opened up about ABC’s decision to cancel its Roseanne revival following the series’ namesake star, Roseanne Barr, tweeting a string of racially insensitive tweets.

“I’m sad for the people who lost their jobs in the process. However, I stand by the decision ABC made,” Gilbert said.

The alphabet network announced its decision to give the show the axe after it had already been renewed for a second season, its 11th season overall, just hours after Barr stated that former Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett was the offspring of the “Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes.”

Barr later apologized for her statements blaming late night “Ambien tweeting” for her comments and stating that her tweets were “egregious” and “indefensible,” though the damage had already been done. Roseanne consulting producer Wanda Sykes announced her departure from the series only moments after Barr’s initial tweet, and several co-stars took to Twitter to renounce the 65-year-old’s statements.

President of ABC Entertainment Channing Dungey called the tweets “abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent” with the alphabet network’s values.

The abrupt cancellation of the series, which occurred on the very day that writers were meeting to begin the new season, meant that the cast and crew were out ofjobs, though they may not be out money. The network is unable to invoke a clause in contracts that would allow them to terminate contracts due to unforeseen circumstances, meaning that ABC now has to decide whether or not to compensate those working on the series.

It has been reported that Gilbert, Laurie Metcalf, and John Goodman had recently negotiated contracts for $350,000 per episode, which would add up to millions of dollars over the season’s 13-episode run, which it was slated for prior to its cancellation. However, a majority of the writing staff is only obligated to be paid for episodes that have been produced.

It may not all be bad news, though, as ABC is reportedly considering a spin-off of Roseanne, meaning that many of those who had been slated to work on the series’ second season could potentially find a new job on the spin-off.