Wanda Sykes Quits ‘Roseanne’ After Star Goes On Racist Twitter Rant

Following Roseanne Barr’s blatantly racist tweet attacking former Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett in which she wrote the African-American woman’s parents were apes, a consulting producer of her hit ABC sitcom announced she would not be returning for a second season.

In a tweet sent out late Tuesday morning, comedian Wanda Sykes — who, like Jarrett, is a black woman — stated that she was quitting the smash revival of the legendary sitcom. Earlier this year, ABC said it had renewed Roseanne for a second season.

I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.

— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018

Sykes had been described as a “head writer” in the past, but she pushed back on that description today:

Fake News…I was never the head writer. I was a “Consulting Producer.” https://t.co/9aqb4fP3dl

— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018

After outrage built over her racist Twitter tirade — a rant that included shots at Chelsea Clinton, George Soros and CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza — Barr tweeted out an apology and claimed she was “now leaving Twitter.” Many observers noted that her apology tweet looked very much like something that was composed by the network’s PR and legal folks.

Disney and ABC have been largely silent over these past few months as Barr has used her Twitter feed to push fringe conspiracies and inflammatory political and cultural rhetoric. Now that she’s gone full racist, will they continue to turn a blind eye because her show pulls in good ratings? CNN’s Brian Stelter teased on Twitter that he’ll have more details about ABC’s reaction to Barr.