'Roseanne' Actor Michael Fishman Reacts to Show Cancellation: 'I Feel Devastated'
More Roseanne stars are speaking out against racism.
Roseanne actor Michael Fishman is the latest person to step forward and condemn Barr's racist tweets on Tuesday, which resulted in the show's abrupt cancelation by ABC.
Fishman, who played the Conner's son D.J. in the original series and revival, shared a heartfelt statement on Twitter expressing his "vehement" condemnation of the controversial comedian's words.
"Today is one of the hardest in my life. I feel devastated, not for the end of the Roseanne show, but for all those who poured their hearts and souls into our jobs, and the audience that welcomed us into their homes. Our cast, crew, writers, and production staff strived for inclusiveness, with numerous storylines designed to reflect inclusiveness. The words of one person do not exemplify the thinking of all involved," he wrote.
"I condemn these statements vehemently," the 36-year-old actor continued. "They are reprehensible and intolerable, contrdicting [sic] my beliefs and outlook on life and society. I have always lived and taught my children to be inclusive. I believe our show strived to embrace different backgrounds and opinions, through open dialogue."
"While I am going to miss being part of the ABC family, I believe that to sit back, or remain silent in an attempt to distance myself from the actions/statements of others would unintentionally endorse or placate those statements which I find truly offensive," he wrote.
The actor closed out by referring to his on-screen character who, in the latest season, is parenting a mixed-race daughter, Mary, with his African American wife, Geena.
"My character was designed to represent the inclusive nature of my views. To represent portions of soceity [sic] often marginalized," he wrote. "In this moment it is important to be clear. We must stand-up against; bias, hatred, bigotry, and ignorance to make society a better place for all."
Roseanne executive producer Bruce Helford also distanced himself from the comments in a statement issued through his agent at United Talent Agency: “On behalf of all the writers and producers, we worked incredibly hard to create an amazing show. I was personally horrified and saddened by the comments and in no way do they reflect the values of the people who worked so hard to make this the iconic show that it is."
In a statement, co-executive producer Bruce Rasmussen echoed those sentiments: "I’m disgusted by Roseanne’s tweet and saddened that her actions have put an end to the incredibly hard work of hundreds of people. I’m proud of the show we produced."
Other celebrities, as well as those associated with the show, have also spoken up in the wake of the tweets and Barr's agency, ICM, has dropped her from representation.
A Roseanne production source told ET that people who worked on the show are “horrified” by Barr's racist comment, adding that perhaps the reboot “wasn’t meant to be.”
“We can’t believe Roseanne put the entire crew in jeopardy,” the source said.
Barr's now-deleted tweets were aimed towards former Obama White House advisor Valerie Jarrett. The 65-year-old comedian later apologized to Jarrett "and to all Americans," and announced she would leave Twitter.
For more on the Roseanne cancellation, watch the video below.
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