“If it’s a gift horse, don’t look it in the mouth.” This age-old saying should have been Roseanne Barr’s mantra when her beloved sitcom Roseanne made its triumphant return to television after an 11-year hiatus. The show was everything fans remembered: a raw, unapologetic look at the struggles of working-class America. It captured the essence of the Conner family as they battled financial hardships, societal pressures, and the crushing weight of an economy that left them barely surviving. But as the saying goes, sometimes we can’t help but open our mouths—literally and figuratively. And Roseanne did just that when she fired off a series of inflammatory tweets that would bring her career—and the show—crashing down.

Roseanne's Infamous Tweet Heard 'Round the World

Roseanne Barr has always been known for speaking her mind, whether people agreed with her or not. Her Twitter feed became a platform for her unfiltered thoughts on politics, culture, and the world at large. However, on May 29, 2018, she crossed a line that couldn’t be ignored. In a tweet that compared Valerie Jarrett, a former advisor to President Barack Obama, to the offspring of the "Muslim Brotherhood" and "Planet of the Apes," Roseanne ignited a firestorm of outrage. The tweet was met with widespread condemnation, and within days, ABC canceled the reboot of Roseanne. For a woman who had once brought joy to millions, this moment became the defining chapter in her public downfall.

This wasn’t the first time Roseanne found herself embroiled in controversy, nor would it be the last. Let’s take a closer look at some of the other moments in her life that left the media—and the public—shaken.

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The Legacy of Roseanne: A Show That Changed TV Forever

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There’s no denying that Roseanne was groundbreaking. It brought issues like poverty, unemployment, and family dysfunction into living rooms across America. It was real, raw, and relatable. But behind the scenes, things were far from harmonious. From the very beginning, Roseanne clashed with writers and producers, especially after Matt Williams was credited as the show’s creator. She felt betrayed, believing her “Domestic Goddess” routine inspired much of the show’s humor. Over the years, her demands for creative control led to a revolving door of writers, culminating in the disastrous ninth season where the Conners won the lottery. The sudden wealth changed everything—and not in a good way. By the time the original series wrapped in 1997, Roseanne had left an indelible mark on television, but at what cost?

When Humor Goes Wrong: Roseanne's National Anthem Debacle

In 1990, Roseanne was riding high on the success of her show and her wild personal life with then-husband Tom Arnold. When she was invited to perform the national anthem at a baseball game between the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds, she decided to make a statement. Instead of singing a heartfelt rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” she screeched through it, ending with a crotch grab and a spit for good measure. What she thought would be comedic genius was, instead, a disaster. Fans were appalled, and the backlash was swift. It’s moments like this that remind us that even the most talented performers can misstep when they try to mix humor with patriotism.