The Patriot Post® · ABC Doesn't Hate Roseanne; It Hates Her Viewers

There’s no doubt that what Roseanne Barr tweeted the other day regarding Valerie Jarrett was racist. But did ABC Entertainment go too far when it canceled her television show?

It called her comments abhorrent and repugnant — which they were. And it also said her point of view was inconsistent with the network’s values.

Now that’s an interesting word for ABC to use — values.

This is the same company that employs Joy Behar, a notorious anti-Christian bigot.

Ms. Behar, one of the squawking magpies on “The View,” belittled Vice President Mike Pence over his religious beliefs and suggested people who talk to Jesus are mentally ill.

After a massive backlash from viewers, she was forced to apologize. However, she was not fired for her blatant bigotry.

ABC also employs the profane Keith Olbermann, a man who has been known to unleash a torrent of vulgarities at President Trump. He routinely calls the president a Nazi along with other words that are unsuitable to post in this column.

Do the words of Ms. Behar and Mr. Olbermann reflect ABC’s alleged values? If not, why are they still receiving a paycheck?

Well, that’s what we call Hollywood hypocrisy. It’s permissible for actors and broadcasters to attack conservatives and Christians. And Hollywood especially loves it when they attack Trump supporters.

This bears repeating — what Ms. Barr tweeted was detestable and racist and the network was well within its right to mete out a harsh punishment.

But in doing so it also punished dozens if not hundreds of other people — actors, writers, producers, costumers, and makeup artists. Why not just write Ms. Barr out of the show instead of pulling the plug?

Well, I have a theory about that. I contend ABC privately despised the program and it was just looking for a reason to cancel it.

Think about it — its highest-rated program attracted a huge audience of gun-toting, flag-waving, blue collar Trump supporters. And I believe that embarrassed network executives.

“ABC set to dial back political humor from pro-Trump ‘Roseanne’ next season,” a recent Fox News headline declared.

ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey told reporters they were going to stay “away from politics” and focus “toward family.”

Matt Drudge responded by tweeting, “Corporate cannibals stripping Roseanne of her fun.”

ABC was basically telling journalists it was going to tone down all the rhetoric that appealed to Middle America — the people Hollywood dismisses as xenophobic and homophobic and racists.

A few hours after the network pulled the plug on the show, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes summed up his take on the scandal.

“Roseanne’s problem turned out to be that she far too authentically represented the actual worldview of a significant chunk of the Trump base,” he said.

And that’s why ABC canceled “Roseanne.” It could not stomach the show’s viewers.