ABC’s decision to pull Jimmy Kimmel’s show has some echoes of network’s firing of Roseanne Barr

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A very popular performer on ABC was well-known for publicly criticizing the president. However, after a particularly controversial statement, the network quickly canceled their show.

It was May 2018, and the star was Roseanne Barr.

The entertainment industry was stunned when ABC suddenly canceled “Roseanne,” the popular revival of the sitcom centered on the Conner family and their financial hardships. Roseanne Barr’s return to television with her on-screen family was immediately successful, quickly becoming the network’s highest-rated show in years.

The cancellation happened shortly after Barr replied to a tweet discussing a WikiLeaks report alleging that the CIA monitored French presidential candidates while Obama was president. In her response, the comedian offensively referred to Valerie Jarrett, a former Obama aide, by falsely linking her to the Muslim Brotherhood and the movie “Planet of the Apes.”

Roseanne Barr, a well-known supporter of Donald Trump during his first term as president, was known for her outspoken and often controversial posts on social media. However, a recent post was widely considered racist. Disney, which owns the network that aired her show, said the post went too far and refused to accept her apology or requests for a second chance.

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SAG-AFTRA and WGA protest the decision to pull the late-night show after FCC chairman’s threats.

ABC cancelled Roseanne Barr’s show after finding her Twitter post deeply offensive and unacceptable, according to the network’s then-president, Channing Dungey. Disney CEO Bob Iger affirmed the decision, stating it was the correct course of action.

This situation is similar to what happened on Wednesday when ABC temporarily stopped airing “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after strong criticism of Kimmel’s remarks about the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel had suggested on his show Monday that the man accused of killing Kirk, Tyler Robinson, might have been a supporter of Donald Trump.

On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr weighed in on the controversy surrounding the removal of Jimmy Kimmel’s show, responding to a post by Barack Obama on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. Barr argued that the Trump administration was escalating “cancel culture” to a concerning degree.

Barr wrote, sharing a previous message, and recalled a time when he and his wife contacted Bob Iger, asking for his job to be terminated.

There’s no evidence suggesting that Barack or Michelle Obama had anything to do with the cancellation of the show “Roseanne.”

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Just under six months after that, a continuation of the show called “The Conners” debuted and quickly became popular. The series followed the Conner family as they dealt with the loss of their mother, Roseanne, who had died from an opioid overdose. The comedy aired on ABC for seven seasons, concluding in April.

In a 2023 interview with The Times, Roseanne Barr described being canceled as a harsh overreaction, criticizing both Fox Nation and her previous colleagues while promoting her new stand-up special on the platform.

She described feeling intensely attacked and punished for her faith. She was also deeply hurt that she wasn’t allowed to express remorse. She realized the extent of their dislike for her, believing it stemmed from her success and willingness to speak her mind. Despite ‘Roseanne’ being their most popular show, she felt they would rather cancel it than allow her to continue as its star.

She said they weren’t hesitant to attack her reputation, and they dismissed her work on the show. However, she’s chosen to forgive them, believing that a higher power intervened to protect her. Once she reframed it that way, she felt much better.

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2025-09-19 02:01