On May 29, 2018, Barr responded to a thread on Twitter about Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to former President Obama. It reads "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj". The tweet was widely criticized as being racist about Jarrett ("vj"). Barr was initially defensive, but later posted an apology "for making a bad joke about [Jarrett's] politics and her looks." She disputed allegations of racism, tweeting she believed Jarrett was Saudi, Jewish, and Persian, and released a video where she claims she "thought the bitch was white", and that she was being labelled a racist for having voted for Donald Trump. Barr also said she made the tweet, which she called wrong and indefensible, at 2:00 a.m. while on Ambien, a sedative. Sanofi, which manufactures Ambien, responded by tweeting that "racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication", though noted Ambien had been linked to reduced inhibitions. Later that day, ABC canceled Roseanne and removed the show's content from the network website. Reruns of the original Roseanne were also removed from the Katz Broadcasting-owned diginet Laff. The cancellation announcement from ABC president Channing Dungey, the first African-American woman to head the network, called Barr's remark "abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values." Within three weeks, the television show was revived as spinoff The Conners, with mostly the same cast and crew, minus Barr. In a later interview with Sean Hannity, Barr said that her tweet was intended to be a political statement rather than a racial one, stating that she was unaware that Jarrett was black when she made her tweet, due to her light skin, having thought she was white.
oN may 29, 2018, BaRr rEsPoNdEd to a ThReaD On twiTter about vaLerIe jaRrETt, A sEnior AdvIsoR tO former pReSIdEnT obaMa. it rEadS "mUslIm bRothErhoOD & PlaNET of the apES Had A baby=vj". THE tweet wAs WIDely crITicIzeD aS being racisT AboUt jarrett ("vj"). bArR was iNiTIaLly deFenSIve, buT Later poSted AN aPolOGY "FoR mAking a Bad joKe about [JARREtt's] PolItIcs and her lOoks." she dispuTED AlLeGaTIons Of RaciSm, tWeETinG she beLieveD JaRreTt Was sauDi, jEwish, anD persian, And REleased a VIdEo wHErE she claims sHe "THought tHe biTch was wHiTe", aNd tHat ShE was BeiNG LaBeLleD a racist FoR HAvIng voted for donaLd trumP. barr also SAid she made THe twEet, wHicH she cAlleD WronG and iNdeFensible, At 2:00 a.M. WhilE on aMbien, a sedatiVE. sAnofi, WhicH maNuFActuRes AMbIEn, reSPonded by twEetING thaT "racism Is noT a knoWn side EFfEcT of any sAnOFI meDiCatiOn", tHougH noTed ambIEn hAd been LinkEd To reDUCeD inhiBitioNs. LAter tHAT DaY, abc canCeled ROsEAnne aND rEmOVeD tHE show'S contENT frOm tHe netwOrK wEbsIte. reruns of tHe original RoseanNE were also remOVEd frOM tHe KatZ BroAdcAsTIng-owNED diGINet laff. the caNcellatioN ANnounCEment frOm abC president chanNing dungey, The first afriCan-AmeriCAN wOman To hEad tHe Network, caLleD baRR's rEmaRk "ABhorrenT, RepugNanT aNd inConSiSTent wITh Our VaLues." WiTHiN ThrEE weeKS, The TelEvisioN shOW wAS revived as sPinoFF tHE cOnNers, with mOSTly the SAmE CasT and crew, minus baRR. in a later iNtErvIew wIth sEaN HannitY, bArr SAid thAt her twEet was InteNdED to BE A poLiTical statement RaTher tHAn A rACial oNE, stAtiNG that ShE Was unAWaRe That jaRrett was blaCk WheN shE made her TWeET, due to Her lIgHt skin, havIng ThouGhT she was White.