NashvilleGab - Michael Fishman has had enough of fans defending Roseanne Barr

Michael Fishman says he has spent more than 8 years mostly ignoring recurring comments defending Roseanne Barr and criticizing ABC’s 2018 cancellation of Roseanne. This week, however, the actor best known for playing D.J. Conner responded directly to one of those messages in an Instagram video.

Fishman called the comment “ignorant and inaccurate” and said people were using a political smokescreen to justify what he considered indefensible. He also reiterated his belief that the revival was rightfully canceled while expressing continued love and compassion for Barr.

Michael Fishman responds after years of recurring comments

Fishman played D.J. Conner on the original “Roseanne” from 1988 to 1997 and returned for the show’s 2018 revival. He publicly condemned Barr’s remarks when the revival was canceled in 2018, so his latest video was not his first time addressing the controversy.

What changed this week was his decision to respond directly to one of the recurring messages he says he receives daily. Fishman said he has mostly tried to ignore such comments for more than 8 years and usually does not respond.

In his new video, Fishman rejected the fan’s account of why the revival ended and argued that people were perpetuating a false narrative by using politics to defend Barr’s 2018 remarks. Fishman wanted to correct what he called a false version of events.

A fan comment reopens an old wound

The comment that triggered his response claimed Barr was unfairly punished for typical comedian humor. The fan argued that cultural shifts, not her actual words, caused the backlash. Fishman found that framing was deeply misleading.

He called the comment “ignorant and inaccurate” in his video. Fishman explained that people are repeating a story that simply is not true. He said political narratives are being used to excuse something indefensible.

According to HuffPost’s reporting, Fishman said he gets these kinds of comments daily. He noted he usually tries to ignore them. This time, he chose to correct the record instead.

What Roseanne Barr said about Valerie Jarrett

The controversy erupted on May 29, 2018, after Barr posted a tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama. The post invoked the “Planet of the Apes” while referring to Jarrett, who is Black, and was widely condemned as racist.

Barr deleted the tweet and apologized to Jarrett and the public, describing her remark as a bad joke and saying she should have known better. ABC canceled the “Roseanne” revival later that day. The apology did little to slow the growing backlash.

The cancellation ended Barr’s role in the series that bore her name. More than 8 years later, Fishman continues to defend ABC’s decision, saying in his latest video that the revival was rightfully canceled. Fishman’s recent comments make clear that he still views that outcome as justified.

Actress Roseanne Barr at an event. — *Source: s_bukley/Depositphotos*

How ABC responded to the backlash

ABC moved quickly once the tweet went public. The network canceled the “Roseanne” revival within hours of the controversy breaking. It was a stunning decision given the show’s strong ratings at the time.

Former ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey addressed the cancellation directly. She called Barr’s statement abhorrent and repugnant, adding that it was inconsistent with the network’s values. The statement made it clear that the decision was not going to be reversed.

The swift response set a tone for how networks might handle similar situations going forward. It also cemented the cancellation as a defining moment in television history. Fishman’s recent comments echo that same firm stance years later.

Life for the cast after cancellation

ABC moved forward with “The Conners” after canceling the “Roseanne” revival, bringing back John Goodman, Sara Gilbert, Laurie Metcalf, Lecy Goranson, and Michael Fishman without Barr. The new show continued the family’s story without Barr involved.

Fishman appeared during the first 4 seasons of the spinoff before being told he would not return for Season 5. “The Conners” ultimately ran for 7 seasons and concluded in April 2025. It gave the cast a way to continue working together.

Barr did not appear in the spinoff. Under the agreement that allowed “The Conners” to move forward, ABC said Barr would have no financial or creative involvement in the series; contemporaneous reporting indicated that she retained rights connected to the Roseanne Conner character.

Fun fact: Fishman has said Barr wanted him to play D.J. Conner while the network favored a young Macaulay Culkin for the role.

Barr’s earlier response to Fishman

Recent coverage of Fishman’s new video has revisited an earlier public exchange between him and Barr. After Fishman condemned Barr’s remarks in May 2018 and emphasized the show’s inclusive values, Barr responded that she had created the platform for that inclusivity and accused him of throwing her under the bus.

Fishman replied at the time, acknowledging that Barr had fought to make “Roseanne” inclusive, saying that was why her tweet seemed so out of character for the show’s previous decades. The exchange added a new layer to an already tense history.

That exchange occurred in 2018, more than 8 years before Fishman’s latest Instagram video. Barr has remained publicly active since leaving the franchise and has continued posting political commentary, including criticism of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Michael Fishman at an event. — *Source: Jean_Nelson/Depositphotos*

Compassion does not mean making excuses

Despite his firm stance, Fishman did not frame his message as an attack on Barr personally. He said he still holds compassion for her. He described her as someone capable of both good and mistakes.

Fishman said good people make mistakes sometimes. He added that he still loves the person who made this one. That distinction mattered a great deal to him in the video.

He made clear that accountability and compassion are not mutually exclusive. Fishman said supporting someone does not mean excusing harmful behavior. His message aimed to hold both ideas at once.

Why the controversy keeps resurfacing today

More than 8 years after ABC canceled the “Roseanne” revival, Fishman says he still receives comments about the controversy every day. His latest video came in response to a follower who argued that Barr and the show had been unfairly punished.

Fishman said he has mostly ignored such messages over the years but chose to respond this time because he believed people were perpetuating a false account of why the revival ended. His new video shows that the 2018 cancellation continues to generate debate among some viewers.

The controversy remains part of the franchise’s history even after “The Conners” completed its 7-season run in 2025. Fishman said his latest response would be his last time addressing the issue in detail.

Little-known fact: Laurie Metcalf won 3 consecutive Emmys for her role as Jackie on “Roseanne” from 1992 to 1994.

TL;DR

Michael Fishman responded after more than 8 years of mostly ignoring recurring comments defending Roseanne Barr and criticizing ABC’s cancellation of Roseanne.
A fan comment blaming cultural and political change for Barr’s treatment prompted Fishman’s blunt Instagram response.
ABC canceled the Roseanne revival on May 29, 2018, after Barr posted a widely condemned racist tweet about former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett.
ABC later launched The Conners without Barr, and the spinoff ran for 7 seasons before ending in April 2025.
Barr accused Fishman of throwing her under the bus during their public exchange in 2018. In his new video, Fishman said he still has love and compassion for her while maintaining that the show was rightfully canceled.

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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