There has been no show with quite as wild a ride as ABC's Roseanne revival. The new season brought in record breaking numbers for the network, as the generations of Roseanne fans were able to reunite with the Conners family after decades. With fantastic numbers and fan reception, ABC quickly renewed the show for a second new season on the network. But all that changed this week, after star and creator Roseanne Barr attacked Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett on Twitter. Barr's tweets were universally admonished for being racist, and the show was promptly cancelled. While the comedian has expressed remorse, she recently returned to Twitter and explained that foreign substances were at play when she sent out the comments about Jarrett.
Guys I did something unforgiveable [sic] so do not defend me. It was 2 in the morning and I was ambien tweeting-it was memorial day too-i went 2 far & do not want it defended-it was egregious Indefensible. I think Joe Rogan is right about ambien. Not giving excuses for what I did (tweeted) but I've done weird stuff while on ambien-cracked eggs on the wall at 2am etc.
While Roseanne Barr continues to tell fans not to defend her offensive tweets, it seems that she does want to clarify her intentions at the time of the controversy. It was apparently the use of the popular sleeping drug ambien that caused Barr's lack of awareness and impulse control.
Roseanne Barr's tweets (which have since been deleted) seem to indicate that the comedian and producer has a somewhat complex relationship with ambien. The drug is used to treat insomnia, and has been known to pack a serious punch with those who need it. Staying awake while the drug is in affect is reportedly like being intoxicated, which seems like the excuse Barr is giving in the wake of the controversy.
The quick cancellation of Roseanne was certainly shocking, considering the massive success the new season was currently riding. While its star continued to make headlines and be a polarizing figure in the political world, the show provided the same heart and laughs as the original run.
Then again, the state of the entertainment world is very precarious at the moment. The myriad allegations of sexual assault made against powerful Hollywood men has ruined a handful of careers, as networks and production companies distance themselves from deviant behavior. Since the firing of controversial figures has become so commonplace, ABC has plenty of precedence to give Roseanne the chop in the wake of Barr's tweets about Valerie Jarrett, which were labelled as "abhorrent" by the network and cast alike.
While Roseanne won't be getting another season on ABC, it's also been all but deleted from on demand and streaming services. Not even the original show is available on Hulu anymore, so you might have to whip out the DVD box sets if you want to return to Lanford, Illinois.
In the meantime, check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our Amazon premiere list and superhero premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode of your favorite episode.
