ABC canceled Roseanne on Tuesday after star Roseanne Barr posted a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a black former aide to President Barack Obama.
"Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj," Barr tweeted Tuesday morning. Shortly after intense Twitter backlash, Barr issued an apology to Jarrett, saying her "joke was in bad taste."
"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."
ABC announced its decision early Tuesday afternoon, with a statement ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey.
"Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."
Robert Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, said the network did "the right thing" in its decision to cancel Roseanne.
"There was only one thing to do here, and that was the right thing."
Social media has been ablaze in the wake of ABC's decision, which has sparked a new national dialogue about the consequences of making racist statements.
Barr's costar, Sara Gilbert, called Barr's comments "abhorrent," and said she was "disappointed in her actions to say the least."
"Roseanne's recent comments about Valerie Jarrett, and so much more, are abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show. I am disappointed in her actions to say the least."
Tom Arnold, Barr's ex-husband, also weighed in.
Former Republican Congressman and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough slammed Barr on Twitter, saying, "there is no apology she can make that justifies ABC turning a blind eye to this bigotry by airing another second of her show."
"Thank you Channing Dungey," tweeted How to Get Away with Murder star Viola Davis.
Grey's Anatomy's Shonda Rhimes expressed sympathy for the now unemployed cast and crew.
"She got what she deserved," Rhimes added.
Other celebrities shared their thoughts too.
