ICM Partners has dropped Roseanne Barr as a client following her racially-charged tweets about Valerie Jarrett and George Soros, leading to the cancellation of her ABC series “Roseanne.”
“We are all greatly distressed by the disgraceful and unacceptable tweet from Roseanne Barr this morning,” ICM said in a statement to TheWrap Tuesday. “What she wrote is antithetical to our core values, both as individuals and as an agency. Consequently, we have notified her that we will not represent her. Effective immediately, Roseanne Barr is no longer a client.”
ABC axed Barr’s sitcom (the No. 1 show on television) following a comment she made on Twitter about Jarrett, a former adviser to Barack Obama, earlier this morning. Around the same time, Barr started an argument with Chelsea Clinton in which the actress repeated a racist and antisemitic conspiracy theory about George Soros. Disney CEO Robert Iger tweeted that the decision was “the only thing to do here,” and “the right thing.”
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey said in a statement to TheWrap.
Hours before the show was canceled, Barr tweeted that if the Muslim Brotherhood and the “Planet of the Apes” “had a baby,” it would be Jarrett.
Barr apologized before the Disney-owned broadcaster put out its statement, saying that her comment about Jarrett was a “joke” that was “in bad taste.”
“I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks,” Barr said. “I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste.”
The “Roseanne” star’s tweet caused swift backlash on Twitter, and consulting producer Wanda Sykes said she would not be returning to the sitcom on Tuesday morning. Executive producer and co-star Sara Gilbert said that Barr’s comments are “abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show.”
Gilbert added that news of the cancelation is “incredibly sad and difficult.”
“This is incredibly sad and difficult for all of us, as we’ve created a show that we believe in, are proud of, and that audiences love- one that is separate and apart from the opinions and words of one cast member,” she said.