Comedian Wanda Sykes revealed she would not be returning to the second season of ABC’s reboot of Roseanne after the show’s blunt star went on a racist Twitter rant on Tuesday (May 29) morning according to TMZ.
I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018
Sykes kept her announcement short, tweeting: “I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnANC.” The comedian served as a consulting producer on the first season of the ABC revival of the sitcom starring Roseanne Barr. Just an hour before Sykes quit, Barr apologized for comments she made about Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to President Barack Obama, calling the attorney a byproduct of “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes.” Barr ended her apology claiming to be “leaving Twitter.”
I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks. I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 29, 2018
Since the backlash over her comments, ABC has canceled the show, which premiered to huge ratings of 27.26 million viewers. The network called Barr’s statement “abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent” with their values.
JUST IN: ABC Entertainment cancels Roseanne Barr’s show, calling her comment on Twitter “abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values.” https://t.co/aHfreKKCH3 pic.twitter.com/aSmCMK7R0R
— ABC News (@ABC) May 29, 2018