For nearly eight years, Michael Fishman has largely watched from the sidelines as fans continued debating why “Roseanne” disappeared from ABC so abruptly. Now, the former child star says he has had enough.
After encountering another social media comment claiming Roseanne Barr was “backstabbed” and unfairly targeted over the tweet that ended the wildly successful revival, Fishman delivered an emotional response, insisting the story some fans continue telling about the cancellation simply is not true.
Fishman addressed the controversy directly in an Instagram Reel after highlighting a comment arguing that Roseanne Barr merely made the kind of edgy joke comedians had long been allowed to make.
The commenter blamed the cancellation on changing cultural attitudes and suggested Barr had been betrayed despite making provocative jokes throughout her career.
Fishman strongly disagreed. “I get this every day. I get these kinds of ignorant and inaccurate comments daily,” the 44-year-old said, explaining that he had mostly avoided responding for years.
“For over eight years, I’ve been dealing with it quietly,” he continued. “After eight years, turning the other cheek really isn’t helping.”
Fishman said people were “perpetuating a lie” and using a “political smokescreen to justify the indefensible.” His comments directly challenge the argument that ABC’s decision was primarily about politics or shifting standards surrounding comedy.
‘Roseanne’ Star Says The Show Was ‘Rightfully Canceled’
The controversy dates back to May 2018, when Roseanne Barr posted a since-deleted tweet comparing former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to the offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood and “Planet of the Apes.”
ABC responded within hours. Then-ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey called the tweet “abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values” before announcing that “Roseanne” had been canceled despite the revival’s enormous ratings success.
Fishman now says the network made the correct decision. “Dehumanizing people is never a joke,” he said in his video, arguing that comedians may have freedom to tackle dark subjects but that freedom does not erase responsibility or consequences.
“The brilliant comedians help us laugh at the darkest, darkest topics,” Fishman continued. “Sadly, in this case, there was no joke.”
He then delivered his clearest verdict, saying, “The show was rightfully canceled.”
Fishman also pushed back against the idea that Barr was the person who had been “backstabbed,” arguing instead that the victims were those targeted by the remarks and the people whose careers became collateral damage when the series disappeared.
Fishman’s Position Has Barely Changed Since The Original Fallout
Although his latest remarks are much more forceful, Michael Fishman’s underlying position is not new.
On the day ABC canceled “Roseanne” in 2018, the actor publicly condemned Roseanne Barr’s statements as “reprehensible and intolerable,” while stressing that the views of one cast member did not represent everyone involved in the series.
Fishman said at the time that he was devastated for the cast, crew, writers and production staff who lost their jobs after pouring themselves into a show he believed had championed inclusivity.
Barr responded angrily. She accused Fishman of throwing her “under the bus,” while insisting that she had created the platform that allowed the sitcom to tell inclusive stories.
Fishman’s decision to reiterate the same basic stance eight years later therefore represents less of a reversal than a renewed defense of a position he has held since the controversy began.
That history also adds context to why Fishman now appears exhausted by fans continuing to challenge him over what happened.
Michael Fishman Says He Still Loves Roseanne Barr
Despite his uncompromising criticism, Fishman made another point clear. His condemnation of Barr’s actions does not mean he has stopped caring about the woman who played his television mother for much of his life.
“Good people make mistakes,” he acknowledged.
Fishman said he loves “the one who made this mistake” and always will, adding that he continues to have “compassion and love” for Barr.
Barr herself initially apologized for the Jarrett tweet, telling Rabbi Shmuley Boteach in 2018 that she “horribly” regretted what she had done and was prepared to accept the consequences. She also said she had made herself a “hate magnet.”
However, Barr subsequently offered several explanations for what happened, including saying she had taken Ambien and claiming she did not know Jarrett was Black. She has continued revisiting the firing years after the controversy.
‘The Conners’ Ultimately Outlived The ‘Roseanne’ Revival
The cancellation did not ultimately end the Conner family’s television story.
ABC reworked the project into “The Conners,” which continued without Barr and eventually ran for seven seasons before concluding in April 2025.
The spinoff killed off Roseanne Conner and centered the remaining family members, including John Goodman’s Dan, Sara Gilbert’s Darlene and Lecy Goranson’s Becky.
Fishman remained part of the franchise as D.J. Conner through four seasons of “The Conners” before revealing in 2022 that he had been told he would not return for Season 5. He later said he held no resentment over being absent from the show’s eventual series finale.
That makes his continued defense of the original cancellation notable. Fishman himself lost a long-running television home twice, first when “Roseanne” collapsed and later when “The Conners” moved forward without him.
Yet eight years after the original controversy, he still insists ABC’s decision was justified.
