Roseanne Barr’s Son Denies Claims Regarding Reboot Cancellation
UPDATE 8/13/26 at 9:42 — Jake Pentland, son of Roseanne Barr, has responded to actor Michael Fishman regarding his assertions that the cancellation of the Roseanne reboot was unwarranted.
In an interview with TMZ, Pentland acknowledged that there was damage done, yet he emphasized that his mother endured the most hardship. He accused the cast of conspiring to take the show from her following a misinterpreted social media post. However, he holds no resentment toward Fishman.
“I wish him good luck in finding work one day,” Pentland conveyed to the outlet. “I hope selling out the woman who launched his career was worth it for him.”
Us has reached out for further comments.
Original story continues below:
Roseanne star Michael Fishman openly defended ABC’s choice to cancel the show’s reboot after its star infamously tweeted a racist comment.
“Unfortunately, in this instance, there was no humor, and the cancellation of the show was justified,” Fishman, 44, remarked in a video posted on Instagram on Tuesday, August 11, responding to a fan’s comment defending Roseanne Barr’s tweet from March 2018. “Good people can err. I have love for the person who made this mistake; that will never change. I will always show compassion. She helped illustrate that even good people can stumble, but this wasn’t a joke.”
Fishman, who portrayed D.J. Conner on the original Roseanne series that ran from 1988 to 1997, specifically referred to a comment asserting, “The reboot got canceled because Roseanne made the usual jokes comedians make, yet America chose to betray her.”
The show’s revival aired on ABC for nine episodes before Barr’s controversial tweet abruptly led to its cancellation. (The since-deleted tweet targeted Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to ex-president Barack Obama. Barr later expressed regret over her tweet, admitting it was a poorly timed joke.)
In his video, Fishman further contended that Barr’s statements caused “harm and dehumanization by perpetuating racial stereotypes.” He concluded, “The only ones who experienced betrayal were those targeted by her remarks and those who became collateral damage.”
Shortly after Barr’s tweet surfaced, ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey issued a statement, declaring, “Roseanne’s Twitter is horrific, abhorrent, and contradictory to our values; thus, we have opted to cancel our show.”
The cancellation drew responses from several cast members, including Fishman. “Today is one of the hardest days of my life. I feel devastatingly saddened, not just for the end of the Roseanne series but for everyone who dedicated their hearts and efforts to this project, as well as the audience that welcomed us into their homes,” he tweeted at the time. “Our cast, crew, writers, and production staff advocated for inclusivity, with numerous storylines aimed at reflecting this value. One person’s words shouldn’t represent the views of all of us.”
Fishman’s initial remark emphasized, “I vehemently condemn these remarks. They are detestable and unacceptable, opposing my beliefs and perspective on society. It’s crucial that we combat bias, hatred, bigotry, and ignorance to create a better world for everyone.”
The day after ABC’s cancellation announcement, Barr took to Twitter once more to share a since-deleted explanation: “It was 2 AM, and I was tweeting under the influence of Ambien — it was also Memorial Day — I crossed a line and don’t want it defended; it was appalling and indefensible. I made a mistake that I wish I hadn’t, but … please don’t defend it.”
