‘Roseanne’ Star John Goodman Admits He Misses Co-Star Roseanne Barr & Wishes Her ‘Well’ Following Reboot Cancellation

Jul 05, 2023 by apost team

Roseanne Barr is an American comedian and actress who transitioned from being a full housewife and mom to running her comedy show in the 90s. She is popularly known for her work in the American sitcom "Roseanne." Barr became a stand-up comedian in 1980, drawing on her experiences as a full housewife and mom in her performances. She popularly paid homage to homemakers with the phrase "domestic goddess." Barr's career took off in 1985 after she performed on the "Tonight Show." She got a spot on HBO, and "The Roseanne Show" was born. The HBO special was a success, and she won the American Comedy Award for Best Female Performer. 

Barr's fame would continue to increase, and she became highly sought after by TV channels that wanted to give her a spot on TV. Eventually, Barr took an offer for an ABC series titled "Roseanne." The TV series was widely successful and was on the air from 1988 to 1997. "Roseanne" gained popularity for its unusual storyline at the time; it was the first time a blue-collar family, with its attending issues, was depicted on TV. The series also appealed to the general public because of its relatable storyline and actors and won Barr an Emmy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress. ABC rebooted the series in 2018, but it was canceled and renamed following a Twitter controversy. 

An article published by Variety revisited the issue with Barr's co-star, John Goodman, on June 25, 2023. The actor initially stood up for Barr after the backlash and reboot cancellation and reiterated that he still stands by his words years later. Continue reading to know what Goodman said years after the incident. 

Two months after "Roseanne" was renewed for a rerun on ABC, Barr made a tweet that put a stop to all the plans. She likened Valerie Jarrett, one of Barack Obama's senior aides, to the offspring of the sci-fi series "Planet of the Apes" and other offenses. The press had a field day as the tweet was considered racist. Barr was subsequently fired, and the show was canceled. 

ABC released a statement that said, "Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values." Barr apologized several times after making the tweet, but it was too late. Meanwhile, her on-screen daughter, Sara Gilbert, also lambasted her and tweeted that Barr's comments were "abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show."

ABC replaced "Roseanne" with "The Conners," choosing to focus on Gilbert's character, Darlene. However, Gilbert's words hurt Barr, and she lashed out, stating that Gilbert's words and not the tweet got her fired from the series. Following a sleuth of attacks against Barr, John Goodman tried to defend her. "I was surprised at the response. And that's probably all I should say about that … I know for a fact that she's not a racist," he said at the time, explaining that Barr was "going through hell." Barr later thanked him for standing up for her. 

Nevertheless, Barr successfully bounced back. The grandmother of five continued to live in her mansion at Honokaa, Hawaii, with her partner, playing host to her grandchildren. In February 2023, Barr made a comeback with a new stand-up special called "Roseanne Barr: Cancel This!" She also did a series titled “Kicked out Of Hollywood: Roseanne Barr,” detailing the ups and downs of her career. 

apost.com

In an article published on June 25, 2023, by Variety, John Goodman restated that he stands by what he said about Roseanne Barr. However, he shared that he is not sure he can work with her anymore. “The Righteous Gemstones" star recalled an incident that made him "uncomfortable." 

"At the time I remember going to some kind of junket where they saw the pilot, and then the interviews, and it just turned into attack. And that made me very uncomfortable with them just attacking Roseanne," he said. 

The 71-year-old added: 

"Yeah, I felt bad for her. I just feel terrible about the whole thing. We had a great time. And I love her. She’s just her own person."

When the outlet asked him if he would work with her again, Goodman replied, "I don’t know. If she’d liked to… I just don’t know. I miss her," he reminisced before he added, "I wish her well."

The interview then turned to the success of "Roseanne" and a few other blue-collar shows. Roseanne was ABC's No. 1 series before it was canceled. TV Guide ranked it No. 32 on its list of 60 Best Series of All Time in 2013. Moreover, following the reboot in 2018, the pilot episode premiered to 27 million viewers. 

Goodman attributed the series' success to the humor it brought to everyday life. "I think a lot of people have tied into the struggle that it lives paycheck to paycheck. And we try to handle it with humor," the actor opined. He added that Barr's words in the early days of the series also reflected greatly in their attitude on the show. 

Did you watch "Roseanne" in the 90s? Did you like the show? What are your thoughts on the controversy? Should the show have been canceled or left alone? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family members, and fellow "Roseanne" fans!