On Tuesday, Roseanne Barr posted an outrageous comment on Twitter, which normally would not be news. However, this time, she called Valerie Jarrett, a former Obama advisor, the offspring of the "Muslim brotherhood" and the "Planet of the Apes." Since Valerie is African-American, and there's a long, ugly history of African-American people being called apes, many found her comment to be racist. Roseanne deleted the comment and apologized for the "bad joke," but the damage was done. ABC cancelled her television series.
"Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values and we have decided to cancel her show," said Channing Dungey, ABC's president of entertainment, in a public statement.
Since the comedian posted her offensive tweet, we've seen reactions from celebrities, political figures and Roseanne cast members. Sara Gilbert, who played her on-screen daughter Darlene, called her comment "abhorrent." Michael Fishman, who played her on-screen son D.J., said, "We must stand up against bias, hatred, bigotry and ignorance to make society a better place for all." (And then he and Roseanne and got into a nasty Twitter feud.)
However, one person we haven't heard from is John Goodman, who played Roseanne's on-screen husband, Dan. A reporter from Entertainment Tonight caught up with the actor, and asked for a comment. "I would rather say nothing, then to cause more trouble," replied Goodman. When asked about the rumor that ABC would give him his own show, Goodman joked, "Then you've heard more than I have."
When pressed again for a comment, Goodman assured Entertainment Tonight that's "everything's fine." As he walked to his car, the reporter asked one last question: Does the scandal ruin his chances for an Emmy nomination? "I wasn't gonna get an Emmy anyway," said the actor. "I've been up there [11] times already, and if I didn't get one, I'm not gonna get one."
It's no surprise Goodman was so tight-lipped. The new season of Roseanne had a heavier focus on politics, with the main character revealed to be a Trump supporter (like the real-life Roseanne). But during the press run, Goodman avoided politics, preferring to talk about other topics instead, like his struggle with alcoholism. When Seth Meyers asked directly about the reboot’s politics, he replied that he didn’t care.
The closest Goodman came to discussing the subject was during an an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The journalist asked, "If Hillary had won, would there have been an appetite for this show?" He replied, "Yeah, because the family is still sunk no matter who gets in [the White House]."
Well, John Goodman's career should be just fine, since he's starred in many, many films: The Big Lebowski, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Argo, Monsters Inc, The Flinstones, Inside Llewyn Davis, - the list goes on and on! If you're reading this, John, we're long overdue for a King Ralph 2. Make it happen.