John Lewis, Atlantans React To ABC’s Canceling Of ‘Roseanne’
The ABC reboot of “Roseanne” was canceled Tuesday after the show’s star, Roseanne Barr made racist comments on Twitter. Barr apologized quickly after the comments starting drawing criticism.
Jordan Strauss / Associated Press
Georgia’s Rep. John Lewis praised ABC on Twitter Tuesday for canceling “Roseanne” after the show’s star and co-creator, Roseanne Barr, tweeted a racist comment about a former adviser to President Barack Obama.
“Thank you, @ABCNetwork. You did the right thing,” Lewis tweeted.
Thank you, @ABCNetwork. You did the right thing. There is not any room in our society for racism or bigotry.
— John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) May 29, 2018
Barr’s tweet, now deleted, said “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,” according to The Hill. It was referring to former Obama adviser, Valerie Jarrett, who is African American.
Barr has since apologized and said she was 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
I apologize. I am now leaving Twitter.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 29, 2018
Other prominent Atlantans have responded to the matter, as well.
Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., retweeted comedian Wanda Sykes’s decision to leave “Roseanne,” which Sykes announced shortly before ABC canceled the show.
I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018
Twitter users are discussing free speech, hate speech and the GOP, in response to the tweet and subsequent cancellation.
Atlanta-based conservative blogger and radio host Erick Erickson has tweeted multiple times about the controversy, saying he wasn’t a fan of the show, but he thinks the cancellation may hurt ABC’s conservative viewership.
He said others are using the controversy to bash conservatives.
I wasn't a fan of the relaunch or how it was marketed. The wild embrace of Roseanne by people on the right just makes it easier now to bash them via Roseanne. And I think it just will cause networks to ignore real social conservatives now even more than they did.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) May 29, 2018
On the other side of the political spectrum, one user, who is a self-proclaimed “leftist,” responded to the original issue with sarcasm.
All the conservatives upset that the @ABC cancelled #Roseanne and violated her freedom of speech should protest. Maybe they could take a knee or something?
— Charles Evans (@banditref) May 29, 2018
Meanwhile, others have joined Rep. Lewis in praising ABC for the cancellation. AJC columnist Jay Bookman was one of them.
ABC has canceled the Roseanne show. Good.
Now we'll see who on the right tries to turn Roseanne into the victim and rushes to defend what is truly, absolutely indefensible.
— Jay Bookman (@jaybookmanajc) May 29, 2018
And an Atlanta pastor had something to say as well.
Congrats to ABC for the Canceling of Roseanne in the age of such a high level of Trump Racism which he an his base loves But thank God for ABC who spoke loud and clear an said not here no matter how much money you bring to the Network we will not have it. Thank you ABC
— Bishop Paul S Morton (@BishopPMorton) May 29, 2018
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