*The following article contains discussion of suicide/self-harm.
Last week, Roseanne Barr claimed ABC wanted her to die by suicide when they fired her from the network's series Roseanne for racist tweets.
In 2018, the comic was blasted for tweeting a reference of former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett to offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood and the "Planet of the Apes." The show was immediately canceled and subsequently, The Connors was born, with a reference to Roseanne's death by opioid overdose in the first episode.
In an interview with Los Angeles Times, she shared that the main character's fate "was a message" to her.
"When they killed my character off, that was a message to me, knowing that I''m mentally ill or have mental health issues, that they did want me to commit suicide."
"They killed my character, and my character. And all of that was to say thank you for bringing 28 million viewers, which they never had before and will never see again."
"Because they can kiss my a**."
Barr explained that what she went through was "terrifying," "a witch burning."
"They didn’t do it to anyone else in Hollywood..."
"I’m the only person who’s lost everything, whose life’s work was stolen, stolen by people who I thought loved me."
"And there was silence. There was no one in Hollywood really defending me publicly, except for Mo'nique, who is a brave, close, dear friend."
Some on Twitter sympathized with Barr and applauded her quest to continue entertaining.
\u201c@nypost I\u2019ve been rooting for her even if our politics don\u2019t exactly match. Love Rosanne! \u2764\ufe0f\u201d— New York Post (@New York Post) 1676046577
\u201c@nypost You go girl! \ud83d\udc4d\u201d— New York Post (@New York Post) 1676046577
\u201c@nypost ...welcome back. Never surrender \ud83c\udf39\ud83d\udc4d\u201d— New York Post (@New York Post) 1676046577
\u201c@hrkbenowen Love Rosanne! One strong amazing lady!\u201d— Ben Owen\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Ben Owen\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1676063399
Others shared they don't believe anyone would wish for Barr to commit suicide but agree with the network that racism should never be tolerated.
\u201c@IndieWire Noone ever wants someone to commit suicide. I'd think that again. They just wanted to end the nastiness.\u201d— IndieWire (@IndieWire) 1676043900
\u201c@nypost That's a level of shame nobody wished on you.\u201d— New York Post (@New York Post) 1676046577
\u201c@latimes Don't go on racist rants online at night\u201d— Los Angeles Times (@Los Angeles Times) 1675959000
\u201c@latimes Mental illness doesn't cause racism or antisemitism. Did Roseanne Barr have a traumatic youth? Yes. Does it excuse her hateful behavior towards Jews, her racism? No. She has chosen to be a bitter, nasty woman. It's easier to blame others than to take responsibility and change.\u201d— Los Angeles Times (@Los Angeles Times) 1675959000
\u201cI doubt that ABC wanted barr to commit suicide.\nI don't believe that they wanted her to commit career suicide either since they had a financial interest in Roseanne's revival. \nBut barr DID commit career suicide. And blamed Ambien. \n\nhttps://t.co/jR3gFWNjNR via @HuffPostEnt\u201d— edofalltrades (@edofalltrades) 1676042070
The Conners continues to air on ABC, but Barr shared that she has yet to watch it.
"I just can't bear it, so I don't."
Barr is taking her comedy to Fox Nation where her new special Roseanne Barr: Cancel This! will debut February 13.
She revealed:
"And I’m so happy that this is the most offensive in my stand-up that I’ve ever had the balls to be."
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.To find help outside the United States, the International Association for Suicide Prevention has resources available at https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
