Roseanne Barr has launched into a scathing verbal attack against her former "Roseanne" co-star Michael Fishman, labeling him a "brainwashed bigot" after he commented on the cancellation of the 2018 revival.
In an appearance on the "Can't Be Censored" podcast, Barr expressed her anger at Fishman, who played D.J. Conner on both the original series and its revival. "He fucking doesn’t even fucking know what I said, even though I’ve explained it 10,000 times for nine years on the Internet," Barr stated. "He hasn’t even taken the time to listen to what I say because he is a bigot. And he’s a brainwashed bigot."
Barr detailed a heated exchange where Fishman allegedly asked her to explain the racist comments she made that led to the show's cancellation. "I told him, ‘Let me explain this, Michael, go and fuck yourself and stay fucked ‘till the day you die. Don’t put my name in your fucking mouth, shut the fuck up,’" Barr recalled. "‘You are an ignoramus and a bigot, and you have no idea what I said because it contradicts the Democrat Party platform that you’ve had shoved down your throat and up your ass. So just fuck you. You have no geopolitical context whatsoever to discuss what I said.’"
Fishman's remarks came in response to a social media comment defending Barr. In a video posted to Instagram last month, he stated, "Sadly, in this case, there was no joke. And the show was rightfully canceled." He characterized the defense of Barr as ignorant and inaccurate, suggesting that a "political smoke screen" was being used to justify the indefensible.
The 2018 revival of "Roseanne" premiered to significant ratings and critical acclaim, praised for its portrayal of a white, blue-collar American family. However, ABC canceled the show in May 2018 after Barr posted a racist tweet about former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett.
Following the cancellation, ABC developed a spin-off, "The Conners," which aired from 2018 to 2025. Fishman departed "The Conners" at the end of its fourth season in 2022. Barr, a vocal supporter of Donald Trump, did not appear in "The Conners" but has remained active on social media, frequently criticizing Democrats.
During the podcast interview, Barr also mentioned completing work on a new series, which she described as "a modern-day fable" and "the greatest fucking show that’s ever been." She did not, however, reveal the title or distribution plans for the project.