Media

Valerie Jarrett to take part in MSNBC town hall on racism

Valerie Jarrett, who was the target of a racist tweet by comedian Roseanne Barr on Tuesday that led to the cancellation of Barr’s hit ABC sitcom, will appear on MSNBC Tuesday night for a town hall to discuss “everyday racism.”

The cable news station made the announcement in a tweet on Tuesday afternoon, saying the Obama-era official will appear alongside MSNBC hosts Joy Reid and Chris Hayes.

{mosads}The hour-long discussion at the Prince Theater in Philadelphia will “explore the current state of race relations in America through the prism of several recent events, including the arrest of two African-American men at a Philadelphia Starbucks,” MSNBC said in an announcement.

“Guests include: Former top Obama administration advisor, Valerie Jarrett; CEO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson; Yale student, Lolade [Siyonbola]; President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Starbucks advisor,  Sherrilyn Ifill; President of Demos and Starbucks advisor Heather [McGhee], plus more,” it adds. 

Jarrett served as a senior adviser to former President Obama and is a contributing columnist for The Hill. 

“Roseanne” was abruptly canceled by ABC on Tuesday not long after a tweet in which the comedian said Jarrett was the child of the Muslim Brotherhood and “Planet of the Apes.”

“Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,” Barr wrote, using Jarrett’s initials. The message was in response to a tweet accusing Jarrett of helping to “hide” misdeeds for the Obama administration.

Barr, an outspoken supporter of President Trump, later apologized, saying she was “leaving Twitter” following the remark.

“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” said ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey in an announcement Tuesday.