Roseanne Barr claims she is a tireless advocate for minorities despite racist 'joke'

Roseanne Barr.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Roseanne Barr admits she "did something unforgivable," but says that doesn't mean she's racist.

Barr was referring to her racist tweet on Tuesday, in which she called former White House adviser Valerie Jarrett a cross between the "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes."

"I'm not a racist," tweeted Barr on Wednesday, "I never was & I never will be." Barr protested the accusation, saying that she's spent her whole lifetime "fighting 4 civil rights 4 all minorities." Barr previously apologized for her "thoughtless joke," excusing herself by saying she was "Ambien tweeting."

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ABC decided to cancel the hit show Roseanne, which starred Barr, and the comedian's talent agency dropped her as a client as a result of her social media behavior. Barr additionally wrote that she felt like "fighting back," writing that she would "examine all of my options carefully" going forward. Despite the hits to her career, Barr insisted that the "one stupid joke" wouldn't erase all her work for equality.

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Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.