Michael Fishman Defends Roseanne Barr's 2018 Firing and Calls Out Misleading Commentary

Michael Fishman, who played DJ Conner on the original "Roseanne" series and its spin-off "The Conners," responded on social media to a comment that downplayed Roseanne Barr’s 2018 firing. The comment suggested the cancellation was driven by "LGBTQ and woke" backlash rather than the actress’s own remarks.

Fishman said he receives similar inaccurate statements daily and, after eight years of staying silent, felt compelled to address them. He emphasized that Barr’s tweet comparing former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett to an "ape" was "indefensible" and that allowing such language to go unchecked can lead to real-world consequences, citing incidents of violence linked to dehumanizing rhetoric.

"The brilliant comedians help us laugh at the darkest topics, but in this case there was no joke. The show was rightfully canceled," Fishman wrote. He added that while people can make mistakes, accountability is necessary and urged those who defend hateful remarks to refrain from further commentary.

ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey had called Barr’s tweet "abhorrent" and "repugnant" and announced the series’ cancellation. ABC subsequently launched the spin-off "The Conners," in which Barr’s character was written out after an on-screen overdose. The new series ran for seven seasons through 2025.