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Roseanne Barr is pulling back the curtain on ABC’s final insult after the network ended her iconic career in the wake of her controversial tweet. In her new documentary, “Roseanne Is America,” the 72-year-old comedian opens up about the humiliating request she received from the network after Roseanne was canceled in 2018.
ABC’s revival of “Roseanne” in 2018 brought back the original cast, and the show was hailed as a major success, making it one of the most anticipated comebacks in TV history. However, the excitement was short-lived when Barr tweeted a racially charged comment about former Obama administration official Valerie Jarrett, calling her an “ape.” The backlash was immediate, and ABC swiftly canceled the show, calling her comments “abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values.”
The network’s decision to cancel “Roseanne” led to the creation of “The Conners,” which picked up where “Roseanne” left off, but with one key difference… Barr’s character, Roseanne Conner, was killed off in the series premiere due to a drug overdose.
Roseanne Barr Reveals ABC Asked Her to Return as a ‘Ghost’ on ‘The Conners’
Now, in her documentary, Barr reveals that ABC had the audacity to reach out to her with an offer to return to “The Conners,” but as a ghost. Barr shared that the network asked her if she would be willing to return as a guest star, appearing as a “ghost” after her character’s death. “They called me and asked me if I would like to come back as a guest star. You’re coming back as a ghost,” Barr revealed in “Roseanne Is America,” available on DVD and digital platforms.
Her response was a sharp one, lashing out at the network for its audacity. “You’re asking me to come back to the show that you f-cking stole from me and killed my a–, and now you want me to show up because you got sh-t f-cking ratings and play a ghost?” Barr recalled, expressing her disbelief at their request. She later quipped that she would be “bowling that f-cking week,” refusing their offer.
Roseanne Barr Reflects on ‘The Conners’ Killing Off Her Character with Drug Overdose
Barr also reflected on the storyline in “The Conners” that killed off her character. Roseanne’s death was written as a drug overdose, mirroring the real-life tragedy of Glenn Quinn, who portrayed Becky’s (Alicia Goranson) husband, Mark Healy, on the original “Roseanne.” Quinn died of an accidental overdose in 2002. Barr expressed how surreal it felt that the show’s writers chose an opioid overdose for her character, given Quinn’s death, adding that it was “staggering” to her.
“Within three weeks, they revived the show as ‘The Conners,’ and of course they killed off my character Roseanne in an opioid overdose,” Barr said. “Which was staggering because Glenn Quinn, who played Becky’s husband, actually died of an opioid overdose.”
Despite the dark irony, “The Conners” continued for seven successful seasons, concluding in April 2025. The series finale, however, surprised many fans by not featuring any new footage of “Roseanne,” even though it did include clips from the original series with the other characters.
Roseanne Barr Claims ABC Spied on Her and Censored Her From the Start
Barr also opened up about the aftermath of the 2018 scandal, claiming that ABC was closely monitoring her every move, waiting for her to slip up. “They spied,” Barr alleged, accusing the network of trying to censor her from the start. She also explained that the tweet, which she still insists wasn’t racially motivated, was misinterpreted and manipulated by what she referred to as “liberal Hollywood elites.”
Her comments about Valerie Jarrett were perceived as racially charged, leading to the cancellation of “Roseanne.” However, Barr maintains that the outrage was a product of political agendas, rather than the intent behind her words.
While her career may have crumbled in the aftermath of that tweet, Barr’s “Roseanne Is America” documentary offers a candid look at the comedian’s feelings toward the network that ended her reign as one of TV’s most beloved sitcom stars. The documentary gives Barr the platform to air her grievances, calling out the hypocrisy and double standards that led to her downfall, and revealing the final insult ABC threw her way in the form of a ghostly return.
