Is it really that hard to understand why networks won’t tolerate racism? Apparently, some people think so, and Michael Fishman just had to serve them a reality check, honey.
The Roseanne alum, now 44 and clearly not here for the nonsense, took to Instagram this week to shut down fans defending the indefensible. One misguided soul tried to argue that the reboot’s cancellation was unjust, suggesting it was all some big misunderstanding. Oh, sweetheart. Fishman was NOT having it.
“Sadly, in this case, there was no joke and the show was rightfully cancelled,” Fishman declared in a Tuesday video that absolutely radiated main character energy. Translation? Roseanne Barr’s offensive tweet wasn’t some edgy comedy bit—it was straight-up racism, and ABC did exactly what they should have done by pulling the plug faster than you can say “consequences.”
Let’s be real: this whole situation is ancient Hollywood history at this point. Barr’s 2018 tweet sparked a firestorm, the network canceled the revival within hours, and suddenly everyone was crying about “cancel culture.” Please. What they mean is “accountability culture,” and honestly, we’re here for it.
What makes Fishman’s defense even more iconic is that he’s calling out people who are *still* trying to defend the indefensible years later. Like, darling, move on. The man worked on that show for over a decade, and he’s making it crystal clear: there’s a difference between comedy and hate speech. Period.
The cast of the original series largely distanced themselves from Barr’s actions, and rightfully so. Fishman’s public stance shows that not everyone involved with the project was going to pretend everything was fine and dandy when it absolutely wasn’t.
Fans have been split on whether the cancellation was fair, with some arguing the show deserved a chance to continue without its lead. But Fishman’s message is simple: stop being ignorant and accept that actions have consequences. Revolutionary concept, we know.
This is what integrity looks like, people. A former cast member choosing to stand on the right side of history instead of defending the indefensible. We’re absolutely living for it.
What do you think? A) Michael Fishman is right—the cancellation was justified. B) The show should have continued without Roseanne Barr.