How Tim Allen Came To Roseanne Barr's Defense After She Got Canceled

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read

When Roseanne Barr and her namesake show were first canceled back in 2018, Tim Allen was asked about the drama during the 2018 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour. Speaking with several outlets, including Page Six, Allen proclaimed, "She was the most diverse and tolerant woman I've ever known for a long time, so whatever got in her head isn't the Roseanne I know." 

The "Home Improvement" star went on to criticize cancel culture in general, noting, "As a stand-up comic, it's a very dangerous position for me to be in because I like pushing buttons and we're all very sensitive." And while he said he would respect ABC's decision, he was adamant that it was the wrong one. "I know Barr, and she's just not that person," he told reporters.

Allen wasn't the only one to publicly support Barr. In the days following her cancellation, she was backed up by tweets from fellow Republicans, like Ted Nugent, Anthony Scaramucci, and Tomi Lahren. As for Barr herself, she blamed her medication. In a since-deleted tweet, saved by Time, the comedian argued, "Not giving excuses for what I did (tweeted) but I've done weird stuff while on ambien." Sanofi, the maker of Ambien, clapped back, tweeting, "While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication."

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