Wanda Sykes Quits 'Roseanne' After Roseanne Barr's Racist Tweet
"Roseanne" after the show's star, Roseanne Barr, posted a racist tweet about former presidential advisor Valerie Jarrett.
Sykes announced her decision to leave the hit ABC sitcom on Twitter:
I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018
The move comes after Barr sparked outrage by tweeting a racially-charged remark about Jarrett, former advisor to President Barack Obama, that referenced "Planet of the Apes" and the Muslim Brotherhood.
After coming under fire, Barr apologized, saying it was a bad joke, and also indicated she would delete her Twitter account:
I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks. I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste.
— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 29, 2018
Many are calling for ABC to cancel the show and stop giving Barr a platform for her views:
Hey @ABC, Roseanne Barr compared Valerie Jarrett to an ape. There is no apology she can make that justifies @ABC turning a blind eye to this bigotry by airing another second of her show.
Even in the Age of Trump, there are red lines that can never be crossed. This is one.— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 29, 2018
Sykes' departure would be the second major exit from the show's staff; last week, Whitney Cummings stepped down as co-showrunner, citing scheduling conflicts.
