“Roseanne” star Michael Fishman reacts to Roseanne Barr lashing out at him, says it shows ‘darker side of my childhood’

Joey NolfiFri, September 25, 2026 at 2:19 PM UTC

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Michael Fishman and Roseanne Barr on ‘Roseanne’; Fishman in 2022Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty; JC Olivera/GettyKey Points -

Roseanne star Michael Fishman reacted to Roseanne Barr calling him a “little f---ing worm” over his comments about the sitcom’s revival.

The actor said her response exemplifies the “darker side of my childhood” working on the series.

Fishman added that he “reached out” to Barr after her prior social media scandal that preceded the revival’s cancellation.

Roseanne actor Michael Fishman has shared an impassioned video reacting to his onscreen mom Roseanne Barr lashing out at him over comments he made about the cancellation of the sitcom’s revival following the comedian’s racist tweet in which she compared ex-Barack Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett, who is Black, to characters from the film Planet of the Apes.

In a video (below) posted Thursday to X, Fishman, 44, said he knows “everybody wants a response to Roseanne’s comments” after he spent 10 seasons total playing Barr’s son, D.J. Conner, on the beloved series. Fishman maintained that his actions make it “clear” where he stands on the issue, especially after Barr called him a “little f---ing worm” for saying that ABC was right to nix the revival in 2018 amid the controversy.

Still, Fishman extended a “thank you” to 73-year-old Barr, “because after eight years, you said something that I was too loyal to say. Thank you for finally admitting, publicly, the truth, that you and I, your family, and your team and everybody around us has always known, which is that I reached out to you the morning of the tweets.”

He added that he gave Barr “the respect of asking for clarity, and that I never turned my back. But, I actually showed you compassion, even though I vehemently disagreed” over her post about Jarrett.

“I have painfully held [her response] quietly for her protection. But I guess she gave you a glimpse into the darker side of my childhood,” he said of Barr’s reaction to his recent remarks about the sitcom’s cancellation. He later elaborated, saying, “I have tremendous gratitude for the years we spent working together. The legacy that we built echoes for eternity. The truth is, it belongs to all of you, the fans who made it possible. I don’t talk enough about the show or my experience growing up on it, and I might have to fix that soon to honor your kindness. But now it’s time to move on. It’s time to turn the page.”

He also urged Barr to issue “a retraction or an apology” for her comments about him, though he lamented “living something publicly what a lot of you have been navigating privately — that’s caring and loving someone who’s been a powerful part of your life, who has changed.”

Fishman said he doesn’t agree with Barr’s controversial conservative political views, nor does he understand where they came from.

“A lot of the time it’s the people who taught us the values we live by, even if they resent them today,” he said. “Hate, bigotry, and politics have ripped families in this country apart. The rage, hate, and alienation, I’m going to meet her and all the others with the capacity of my heart.”

He concluded the clip by telling his fans that he’s going to “set some healthy boundaries for myself,” and advised followers that “we get to decide who we are, and our actions show who we are” to others.

Entertainment Weekly has reached out to Barr’s representative for comment on Fishman’s new video about her.

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Fishman’s video came after Barr appeared on a recent episode of theCan’t Be Censored podcast, in which she went on a tirade criticizing her former onscreen son.

“He f---ing doesn’t even f---ing know what I said, even though I’ve explained it 10,000 times for nine years on the Internet,” Barr snapped during the episode. “He hasn’t even taken the time to listen to what I say because he’s a bigot. And he’s a brainwashed bigot.”

She also acknowledged that Fishman reached out to her following her social media controversy.

Roseanne Barr, Alicia Goranson, Sara Gilbert, Michael Fishman, and John Goodman on ‘Roseanne’Credit: ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty

“I told him, ‘Let me explain this, Michael, go and f--- yourself and stay f---ed ‘till the day you die. Don’t put my name in your f---ing mouth, shut the f--- up,’” Barr said. “‘You are an ignoramus and a bigot, and you have no idea what I said because it contradicts the Democrat party platform that you’ve had shoved down your throat and up your ass. So just f--- you. You have no geopolitical context whatsoever to discuss what I said.’”

She added: “You think I said Black people look like monkeys,” before telling Fishman, “Go f--- yourself, you little f---ing worm. And I’m glad they fired you because I was the only reason you were ever on that show. They wanted to get rid of you in the reboot and I made them take you back.”

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After Roseanne ended in 2018 following its sole revival season, ABC brought Fishman, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, and Lecy Goranson back for a spinoff titled The Conners. Fishman announced his surprise exit in 2022, before The Conners ended in April 2025: “I was told I would not be returning for season 5,” he noted in a statement at the time. A specific reason for his departure has not been provided (it has not been confirmed that Fishman was fired for cause).

Fishman did not appear in The Conners’ series finale and addressed his absence in a video on Instagram at the time after being “inundated with people looking for a reaction.”

“People seem to want to have there be some kind of conflict or controversy, especially on my part. The reality is, all I really have is empathy and understanding for all of the people on set, and for all of our audience that’s grieving,” he said in the video. “It’s been my honor, because I believe it’s a comfort show for many. So in this time, I keep thinking to myself, it’s the perfect time to reconnect. It’s the perfect time to go back and celebrate. And so I’m looking back and starting over and watching from the beginning with a whole new perspective.”

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