Michael Fishman Requests Apology from Roseanne Barr Following Comments

<figure><img alt="Roseanne Barr displayed an affinity for four-letter words." src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/BBHQCJJOXNCULGBVMEDYSJMWBA.png?auth=880d45a7d48b75de6e54f0115e52bbdec45f4bded13a21465318c008c3c571e3&amp;smart=true&amp;width=3000&amp;height=1688" /><figcaption>YouTube/ Can't Be Censored, ABC ABC Photo Archives/ Contributor</figcaption></figure><p>Michael Fishman, who portrayed D.J. Conner on the sitcom <i>Roseanne</i> and its spinoff <i>The Conners</i>, responded to comments made by Roseanne Barr during a recent podcast. Barr referred to Fishman using derogatory language, prompting him to dismiss her remarks as “obvious lies and name-calling” in an Instagram video posted on Thursday.</p><p>Fishman noted that he had reached out to Barr the day after her controversial tweets in 2018, which led to the cancellation of the original <i>Roseanne</i> reboot. He stated that he had condemned the tweets at the time but had not abandoned her. In his video, he expressed gratitude for Barr's acknowledgment of this communication.</p><p>“I gave you respect and asked for clarity. I never turned my back. I showed you compassion even though I vehemently disagreed with you,” Fishman stated.</p><p>He described Barr’s comments as revealing a “darker side” of his childhood and hinted at sharing more about his experiences on the show in the future. Fishman requested “a retraction or an apology maybe” from Barr, while emphasizing his intention to respond to her negativity with compassion.</p><p>“I don’t have to take the hook of the fight just because people lashed out,” he added, mentioning that he has established “healthy boundaries” with Barr.</p><p>Barr's remarks included calling Fishman a “f---ing worm” and a “brainwashed bigot,” which Fishman interpreted as retaliation for his previous statements about her firing being justified due to her damaging tweets. Barr’s son, Jake Pentland, also criticized Fishman, claiming he prevented Barr from defending herself publicly.</p><p>Barr’s representative did not respond to requests for comment from Page Six.</p>