New York Rep. Pete King (R) praised ABC for the network’s decision to cancel “Roseanne” on Tuesday after the show’s star, Roseanne Barr, tweeted a racist message aimed at former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett.
In a tweet, the Republican lawmaker attacked Barr’s “disgraceful” remark, in which she referred to Jarrett as the child of the Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood and the movie “Planet of the Apes.”
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“Good riddance to @therealroseanne for disgraceful tweet. ABC had every right to fire her,” he wrote Tuesday afternoon after the network announced the show’s cancellation.
Barr apologized publicly to Jarrett over the remark and stated that she would leave the social media platform over the ensuing controversy, but that was not enough to placate executives at ABC who cut ties with the comedian hours later.
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said in a statement.
The reboot of “Roseanne,” which originally ended in 1997, made headlines for its lead character’s unapologetic support for President Trump, who publicly touted the show’s “unbelievable” ratings and personally called Barr to congratulate her earlier this year.
“Look at Roseanne. Look at her ratings,” Trump told a crowd in March during a speech in Ohio focused on infrastructure.
“Over 18 million people [watched] — and it was about us!” Trump added. “The fake news hasn’t quite figured it out … but they will.”