Roseanne Barr Slams ABC Over Jimmy Kimmel Suspension, Decrying 'Double Standard'

Roseanne Barr on Tuesday called out ABC for what she described as a "double standard" in how it handled Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and return. The 72-year-old comedian told NewsNation that ABC revived Kimmel's show after a brief pause following controversy over his remarks about Charlie Kirk, while Barr says the network erased her own career in 2018 when it fired Roseanne from her eponymous reboot over a controversial tweet about Valerie Jarrett.

Barr said, "I got my whole life ruined, no forgiveness and all of my work stolen and called a racist for time and eternity, for racially misgendering someone," she told NewsNation Tuesday. "It just shows how they think. It’s a double standard." The Emmy winner also predicted how Kimmel’s first show back would go: "I think he’ll cheer himself on and his fans, all what is it, 2,000 of them. They’ll feel heartened and, you know, like they won another battle against Trump and the people of the United States," Barr stated. "So it’ll be a big celebration. ‘Oh, he’s back,’ and he’ll double down." ABC revived Barr’s iconic sitcom in 2018, but the star was abruptly fired in May of that year for saying that Jarrett, 68, looked like the offspring of the "Muslim brotherhood & Planet of the Apes." The network’s bosses killed the show despite its high ratings, blasting Barr’s comment as "abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values." ABC later created the spinoff "The Conners," featuring several of Barr’s former co-stars and killing off her character. Barr apologized for the tweet at the time and claimed she thought Jarrett was white. In her NewsNation interview, Barr said her legacy was "erased" after the sitcom was canceled. "I’ve been erased from history, from the history of feminism, which that cracks me up," she said. "I’m never mentioned in anything about women who are pioneers in media. I’m never mentioned in anything anymore."

[Image: Roseanne Barr on Fox News' Fox & Friends]()

Last week, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" was taken off the air by ABC because of the host’s comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination. After widespread backlash, Disney reinstated "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and the host returned to the air Tuesday night, where he addressed his controversial remarks in a monologue that included some apologies and deflections. "You understand that it was never my intention to make light of a murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it," he said in his opening remarks, which were interrupted several times by standing ovations from the audience. "I understand that to some, that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both, and for those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset." The comedian also included repeated jabs against President Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr in his show, though he stopped short of outright criticizing ABC and Disney.

Barr has publicly defended her own stance in the past, arguing for accountability and speaking at times about her 2018 firing and its aftermath. She referenced her appearance on Fox News’ Gutfeld! in February 2023, during which she framed her career setback as part of a broader pattern in how Hollywood handles controversial figures.

The episode highlights ongoing debates about accountability, forgiveness, and what standards apply to those in the entertainment industry when a talent falls out of favor and is later reinstated. Barr’s critique of ABC’s treatment of Kimmel underscores how networks navigate controversy and public perception in the age of social media scrutiny.

[Image: Jimmy Kimmel on stage]()

[Image: Roseanne Barr at event]()