Roseanne Barr Claims She ‘Asked for Nothing’ on ‘Roseanne’ Spinoff

Roseanne Barr said she “asked for nothing” during talks with ABC to create a Roseanne spinoff after her series was cancelled following a racist tweet.

In an excerpt from a second interview with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, published by The Blast, Barr said she wanted Roseanne to continue in some way to help Jayden Rey, the young actress who played her granddaughter.

“She loved me and I loved her,” Barr told Boteach. “And I did not want her … to not have a job, because she’s great. And I did not want her to think that badly of Jewish people and me in specifically.”

Barr continued, “So… I didn’t ask to be paid off, I asked for nothing, and I just stepped away … because that is penance. I put a lot of thought into it.”

This was the second interview Barr recorded with Boteach for his Stand Up NY podcast since Roseanne was cancelled. ABC ended the show late last month after Barr tweeted a racist message about a former aide for President Barach Obama.

Barr’s first interview with Boteach was recorded on May 31, but Boteach did not release it until June 24, after The Conners spinoff was ordered. Barr told Boteach she “lost everything” and regretted sending the message.

“I lost everything, and I regretted it before I lost everything,” Barr told Boteach. “And I said to God, ‘I am willing to accept whatever consequences this brings because I know I’ve done wrong. I’m going to accept what the consequences are, and I do, and I have. But they don’t ever stop. They don’t accept my apology, or explanation. And I’ve made myself a hate magnet. And as a Jew, it’s just horrible. It’s horrible.”

Barr also said ABC executives told her to stop using Twitter after they agreed to revive Roseanne last year.

“I ask people if you look at my tweet don’t defend me,” Barr told Boteach. “I’ve done something egregious and I don’t want to be defended. I don’t want to get anymore racism going from what I did, I don’t want that. I don’t want to be defended.”

Before ABC officially greenlit The Conners, there was concern Barr would still have a financial interest in the show. The original series was credited as “created by Matt Williams, based upon a character created by Roseanne Barr.” So ABC had to reach a deal with Barr to exclude her before moving forward.

After ABC ordered 10 episodes of The Conners, Barr said she agreed to a settlement “in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved.”

The new series will star the rest of the original Roseanne cast — John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Michael Fishman and Lecy Goranson. It will air this fall every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, the same timeslot ABC planned to air Roseanne in.

Photo credit: ABC