Roseanne Barr claims she ‘didn’t know’ that Valerie Jarrett was black as she attempts to defend racist tweet: ‘I mistakenly thought she was white’
Roseanne Barr has claimed that she thought Valerie Jarrett was "white" after facing backlash for a racist tweet in which she compared her to the child of the Muslim Brotherhood and Planet of the Apes.
The disgraced comedian, 65, has attempted to defend her comment after the revival of her sitcom Roseanne was cancelled by ABC on Tuesday night, by denying any knowledge of Jarrett’s African-American heritage.
After a tirade of tweets in which she apologised for her original post, but appeared to blame the fact she had taken sleeping pill Ambien, Barr went on to claim that she “mistakenly” thought the former White House adviser was “white”.
Replying to a string of tweets from followers, she wrote: “I honestly thought she was Jewish and Persian-ignorant of me for sure, but...i did.”
Replying to another person, she said: “yes, I mistakenly thought she was white.”
One follower tweeted her to say: “My guess is Roseanne didn't know Jarrett is black. I didn't,” to which she simply replied “I didn’t know.”
Barr quit Twitter following the backlash over her tweet on Tuesday but returned to the mico-blogging site after her show was cancelled just hours later.
Her original post compared Jarrett to “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby = vj.”
At first, the star told her followers not to try and defend her, but quickly changed her tune and began to defend herself, while retweeting messages of support.
“I'm sorry 4 my tweet, AND I will also defend myself as well as talk to my followers,” she said, adding: “So, go away if u don't like it. I will handle my sadness the way I want to."
She added: "I'm tired of being attacked & belittled more than other comedians who have said worse."
Sara Gilbert, who starred alongside Barr in Roseanne, labelled her comments "abhorrent".
She said: "Roseanne's recent comments about Valerie Jarrett, and so much more, are abhorrent and do not reflect the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show. I am disappointed in her actions to say the least."
