Nearly a decade after the revival of Roseanne came to an abrupt end, tensions between its former stars are still very much alive. Michael Fishman, who played D.J. Conner from the sitcom’s early years through its 2018 return, recently said he believes ABC was right to cancel the reboot.
According to Fox News, Barr strongly disagrees. During an appearance on the Can’t Be Censored podcast, the 73-year-old comedian lashed out at her former TV son, calling him a “brainwashed bigot” and accusing him of failing to understand her explanation for the controversy that ended their working relationship.
Roseanne Barr Fires Back at Michael Fishman
Barr said Fishman had questioned her repeatedly about the events surrounding the show’s cancellation and claimed she eventually told him to stop discussing her publicly. Her latest comments make clear that whatever relationship the two once shared during their many years playing mother and son has deteriorated considerably.
The dispute traces back to May 2018, when ABC canceled the highly successful Roseanne revival after Barr posted a tweet comparing Valerie Jarrett, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, to an ape. Barr apologized multiple times afterward, while ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey said at the time that the comment was inconsistent with the network’s values. The network then moved ahead with The Conners, which retained much of the cast but excluded Barr.
The Former Roseanne Cast Has Largely Gone Separate Ways
The divide apparently extends beyond Fishman. Laurie Metcalf, who played Jackie Harris, said earlier in 2026 that she and Barr have not spoken since they said goodbye after filming the reboot. Barr similarly said in 2025 that she no longer maintains friendships with her former castmates, though she still remembers the fun they shared while making the original show.
Barr has remained unhappy with how the franchise continued without her. The Conners killed off Roseanne Conner, and Barr later said she rejected an offer to return as the character’s ghost. More than eight years after the reboot controversy, Roseanne Barr still has strong feelings about how the series ended and how former costars have discussed it.