'Roseanne' Star Michael Fishman Says Sitcom Was 'Rightfully Canceled' After Roseanne Barr's 'Dehumanizing' and 'Indefensible' Racist Remarks
Michael Fishman called out Roseanne Barr's racist post.
Aug. 12 2026, Published 11:10 a.m. ET
Michael Fishman, who played D.J. Conner on Roseanne, supported the show's cancellation after Roseanne Barr's 2018 racism scandal.
At the time, Barr, 73, accused former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett of looking like the "Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby." The star attempted to defend herself from subsequent scrutiny before claiming she made "a bad joke," apologizing and deleting her X account. Despite her apology, Fishman agreed with ABC's decision to cancel the show, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Michael Fishman Shuts Down Roseanne Bar Supporter
Fishman pushed back against a commenter's defense of the actress.
Fishman, 44, spoke out in frustration after a fan claimed "the lgbtq and woke c--- took over and started destroying anything it could," causing an end to the show. They referred to Barr as just an "edgy comedian" who was backstabbed by the county.
The commentor added, "Funny thing is even if she was a racist, she had already said more egregious jokes and nobody batted an eye before."
Fishman insisted ABC made the right call, pointing out that even Barr admitted her comments are "indefensible." When the network canceled the renewal, the President of ABC Entertainment Channing Dungey called her posts "abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values."
He further claimed comments like the one he responded to could lead "to real consequences."
'There Is No Joke'
Fishman pointed out real life consequences of racist comments.
Typically, Fishman said he tried to dodge the remarks about the scandal. However, he added, "After eight years, turning the other cheek is not really helping. So, I guess the world failed to learn the lesson, so I'm going to point out – we are perpetuating a lie and people are using a political smoke screen to justify the indefensible."
He explained sentiments like the one shared can lead to real violence against Black individuals, including Trey Reed and Tasha Fortune.
"Dehumanizing people is never a joke," said Fishman.
"See, when we're on stage as comedians or on camera, we have the freedom to say whatever we want but that doesn't mean there's no responsibility and no consequences," he added. "The brilliant comedians help us laugh at the darkest, darkest topics. Sadly, in this case, there was no joke. And the show was rightfully cancelled. It's the last time I'm really going into this."
Fishman Extends Love to Barr
Fishman still holds a soft spot for his former co-worker.
Fishman also acknowledged "good people make mistakes."
"And I love the one who made this mistake. I always will. I'll always have compassion and love, and I've shown it continuously, and she helped the world understand that good people can make mistakes."
"But there was no joke. There's only damage and dehumanizing and perpetuating racial tropes. Leads to real-world consequences," he continued. "The only people who are 'backstabbed' were the people who were targeted by the statements. And those who became collateral damage from it."
Barr Supports Trump-Backed Republican Senator Hopeful
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Barr backed Ken Paxton for Senate.
Following the show's cancellation, Barr became an open supporter of Republicans.
In May, the comedian was spotted at a rally for the Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who won a primary for the United States Senate. She was seen dancing away to the song "Gloria" by Laura Branigan. She also carried her own "Paxton 2026" sign, setting it down in front of her.
Paxton is widely regarded as a prominent leader in the far-right movement in the United States. He was backed by President Donald Trump, who called the Texan a "true MAGA warrior."
