Roseanne Barr has waded back into controversy—this time by comparing her infamous 2018 firing from the Roseanne reboot to ABC’s suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The comedian-turned-MAGA conspiracy theorist weighed in after conservatives cheered President Donald Trump for pressuring ABC to sideline Kimmel over his comments on the assassination of far-right activist Charlie Kirk.
ABC announced Kimmel’s suspension “indefinitely” after he suggested on air that MAGA figures were trying to spin the politics of Kirk’s accused killer. The decision came just hours after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr blasted Kimmel’s remarks and hinted at possible regulatory action against ABC.
Responding to a tweet from Atlantic writer David Frum—who speculated on what might happen if a Democratic administration pressured Fox to fire Greg Gutfeld—Barr chimed in:
“Yeah imagine an administration putting pressure on a television channel to fire a comedian they didn’t like.”
But Barr’s comparison quickly unraveled. Her own firing came in 2018, during Trump’s first term—not under Joe Biden. At the time, Barr was ousted after tweeting a racist remark about Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett, comparing her to Planet of the Apes. Barr later blamed Ambien for the post, but ABC swiftly canceled her show. Roseanne was eventually revived as The Conners—without her.
Since then, Barr has embraced far-right conspiracy theories, often amplifying QAnon talking points. Critics were quick to remind her that her dismissal was the result of her own offensive remarks, not government censorship. By contrast, Kimmel’s case is raising alarms about political interference in media, with many warning that Trump’s allies are weaponizing regulatory power to punish critics.
Meanwhile, Trump and his administration have escalated their media battles. ABC already paid him $16 million to settle a lawsuit, and this week he filed a new defamation case against The New York Times. The FCC has also approved major network mergers shortly after settlements with the president, fueling concerns about pressure tactics behind the scenes.
In short, Barr’s bid to link her scandal to Kimmel’s crisis backfired—exposing, yet again, how her attempts to rewrite history only highlight the very downfall she’s trying to escape.
Post Views: 847
