'Multiple' Reasons for Firing: ABC Chief Says Roseanne's Valerie Jarrett Tweet Was the Last Straw

I’ve written previously that I believe Roseanne’s explanation for the tweet heard ’round the world: she had no racial intention; the star didn’t even know former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett was partly black (in addition to being French, Scottish, and American Indian, as per Wikipedia [don’t judge me]).

To my way of thinking, the Roseanne situation was handled wrongly. A proper response from the studio, in my estimation, would have been to talk to her and find out what she was thinking. A reasonable reaction from the media, it seems to me, would’ve been the provision of an opportunity to explain herself.

In lieu of those routes being taken, it appeared the iconic comedienne was an outspoken Republican who many were looking for any reason to silence. On May 29th, she enabled them.

Now, ABC/Disney is claiming there was more to Roseanne’s torpedoing than met the eye. According to an interview with Deadline, it was a “last straw” situation.

Those words — “last straw”…I can just feel the liquid pouring down my chin, soaking through the top of my shirt. I’m triggered —

Straw Man Argument: Disney Ruins Shirts (Including Mine) at the Happiest Place on Earth

Sorry; back to the story:

ABC chief Channing Dungey had this to say:

“[The decision to fire Roseanne] was actually made very swiftly, and what I’m going to have to say is that it was nice that it was so clear to everyone that there wasn’t a lot of debate and discussion about it.”

Geez.

“We knew what we wanted to do, and we did it. For us, we have had multiple instances with Roseanne, and certainly this tweet crossed the line that cannot be crossed. But it was for us a sense of enough is enough and something had to be done.”

Without having missed a beat, ABC is continuing with The Connors, which is, essentially, Roseanne without Roseanne.

“What I can tell you us that thematically we will be focusing on a lot of the same themes that we were in the first nine episodes — what it’s like today for a family to make ends meet in a world where they might be going into foreclosure, where work is scarce, where there are a lot of different challenges in terms of raising children as a single parent. All these issues are going to still be at the forefront.”

It remains to be seen whether or not Roseanne’s character will be dead, going forward.

That’s gotta hurt — a show in your name becomes successful partly because of your personality; you make a mistake, and they just kill you off and keep going, profiting from your previous work. Of course, Dungey asserts there was more than just one mistake. Nevertheless, the CEO says she doesn’t regret having given Roseanne the initial shot at a reboot:

“We obviously knew that she had a slightly volatile history in the previous incarnation of Roseanne. … She had come to us very clear that she wanted to make the show a priority, really wanting a second chance at this and we took that at face value. I don’t regret it, I am never going to regret waking up that morning and seeing the ratings from that first season, amazing. It’s been a journey with ups and downs but I’m very excited about what we’re going to have with The Conners in the fall, I think its going to be great.”

As a reminder, around the same time Disney fired Roseanne, they hired Keith Olbermann, who had previously tweeted, among other things, the following:

“F*** you @RealDonaldTrump Nazi Nazi f*** Nazi Nazi RACIST Nazi BIGOT go f*** yourself f***ing Nazi f***ers.”

“Any of them mention to you that we had a Domestic Terror attack a week ago today and you still won’t call it what it was, you cowardly f***?”

“YOU are the leaker, you stupid, pea-brained, motherf***ing traitor. RESIGN.”

“What needs to be replaced is THIS motherf***er. Today. This morning. NOW.”

(to Ivanka) “Then tell your racist, white supremacist, neo-nazi father to get the f*** out of our society.”

“GO F*** YOURSELF @REAL DONALD TRUMP.”

“You and @POTUS can go f*** yourself, you racist Nazi f***s.”

“You will not destroy this country, @realDonaldTrump. Go f*** yourself.”

“ICYMI: So we’re clear, this is where this F***ing lying anti-Democracy F*** lied to the American people, with no F***ing quote F***ing marks twitter.com/realdonaldtrump…”

“Honest to God, @realDonaldTrump – shut the f*** up.” #Resign”

“TO HELL WITH YOU, YOU MOTHERF***ING TRAITOR.”