Michael Fishman Responds to Roseanne Barr's 'Podcast Takedown'

Michael Fishman has responded to a recent podcast appearance by his former "Roseanne" co-star Roseanne Barr, characterizing her comments as "obvious lies and name calling." Barr, in an episode of her "Can't Be Censored" podcast, reportedly referred to Fishman with harsh language, including calling him a "brainwashed bigot" and telling him to "stay f--ked until the day [he] die[s]."

Fishman addressed Barr's remarks in an Instagram video, stating that he knew "everybody wants a response." He thanked Barr for "finally admitting the public truth" that he had reached out to her the morning after her 2018 racist tweets that led to the cancellation of the "Roseanne" reboot.

At the time of the tweets, Fishman "vehemently condemned" them. He subsequently starred in "The Conners," a spinoff series that continued without Barr.

"I gave you respect and asked for clarity. I never turned my back. I showed you compassion even though I vehemently disagreed with you," Fishman said in his video, referencing his interactions with Barr. He described Barr's recent podcast comments as a "glimpse into the darker side of [his] childhood" as D.J. Conner on the show and suggested he might share a "fuller picture" in the future.

Fishman also requested a "retraction or an apology maybe" from Barr, stating he did not feel compelled to engage in conflict. He explained that he had set "healthy boundaries" with the actress and encouraged others to approach similar situations with compassion for those who have influenced their lives, even if their current actions are disagreeable.

Barr's representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Fishman's August comments, where he doubled down on his stance that the decision to cancel "Roseanne" was "rightful" due to Barr's "damaging and dehumanizing" tweets, were also mentioned. He noted at that time that he would "always have compassion and love" for Barr and that she had "helped the world understand that good people can make mistakes."

Barr's son, Jake Pentland, had previously claimed to TMZ that Fishman had "prevented her from publicly defending herself" and had "conspired" to remove the show from her during the social media controversy.