The on-screen son of Roseanne Barr has hit back at the actress’ wild rant on a podcast on which she called him a “brainwashed bigot”.
Fishman played DJ Conner throughout the original nine-season run of the hit show Roseanne, appearing alongside Barr from 1988 to 1997.
The show was revived in 2018, but was cancelled after just two months on air by American TV network ABC when Barr posted what was widely interpreted as a racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett, an African-American former advisor to President Barack Obama.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow
“Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj,” Barr tweeted, drawing condemnation from fellow cast members, crew and network executives for comparing a Black woman to an ape.
Fishman supported the second cancellation of the show which led to Barr launching into a tirade about her former co-star in an episode of the Can’t Be Censored podcast.
“He f***ing doesn’t even f***ing know what I said, even though I’ve explained it 10,000 times for nine years on the internet,” Barr said.
“He hasn’t even taken the time to listen to what I say because he’s a bigot. And he’s a brainwashed bigot.”
A former co-star of Roseanne Barr has responded to the actress’ wild rant on a podcast calling him a ‘brainwashed bigot’. Credit: Julie Jacobson/AP
Fishman has since responded to Barr in a video to social media, saying her actions provided a glimpse into what it was like to work on set with her.
He started by saying that he reached out to Barr the morning that she sent the tweets which derailed the reboot.
“I actually showed you compassion, even though I vehemently disagreed with you,” he said.
“I have painfully held that quietly for her protection.
“But I guess she gave you a glimpse into the darker side of my childhood.”
Despite the stinging claims by Barr, Fishman said he still has “tremendous gratitude” for the opportunity on the show as a child actor.
“Hate and bigotry in politics have ripped families in this country apart,” he said.
“So through the rage and the hate and the alienation, I’m going to meet her and all the others with the capacity of my heart.
“I don’t have to take the hook of the fight just because people lashed out.
“I’m going to choose to remember the best in them.”
Roseanne Barr unleashes in foul-mouthed tirade at on-screen son
3 min read
One Nation in government would be a ‘total disaster’, former deputy PM says
2 min read
