Roseanne Barr Insults Michael Fishman; He Wants an Apology

Roseanne Barr and Michael Fishman are arguing in public about ABC’s decision to cancel the 2018 Roseanne revival. Barr called her former TV son a “brainwashed bigot” in a September 23 podcast interview. Fishman responded with a video on September 25 and asked her to take back what she said or apologize.

Why is Barr angry with Fishman?

Fishman played D.J. Conner on Roseanne. In August, he said ABC was right to cancel the revival after Barr posted a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a former adviser to President Barack Obama. ABC canceled the show in May 2018. Barr has said she did not intend the tweet to be racist.

When the host of Can’t Be Censored asked Barr about Fishman’s comments, she said he contacted her after the cancellation but did not listen to her explanation. She then insulted him during the interview:

“He’s a brainwashed bigot.”

Barr also said she had argued to keep Fishman in the 2018 revival when others wanted to drop his character. Fishman did not address that claim in his response. The full podcast interview is playable above.

What did Fishman say back?

In his own video on X, Fishman said he did reach out to Barr when the show was canceled. He said he remains grateful for the chance to play D.J., but rejected her insults and asked for a retraction or an apology. His post began with a simpler response:

“I don’t need to address obvious lies or name calling.”

The two worked together when Fishman was a child and again for the short-lived revival. Fishman says he still cares about Barr. He also stands by his view that ABC was right to cancel the 2018 show. He did not say they had spoken again.

What are fans saying?

Some fans praised Fishman for answering without matching Barr’s insults. In a discussion on r/roseanne, one viewer wrote, “I really hope Roseanne comes around someday.” Another said Barr’s recent comments made it harder to watch old episodes, while a different fan said the dispute would not change their love for the sitcom.

The show did not return after Barr’s firing. ABC made a spinoff, The Conners, with Fishman, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert and Lecy Goranson. The original Roseanne is available on Peacock in the United States, where its ten seasons carry a TV-PG rating under the US TV Parental Guidelines.