Roseanne Barr Eyes Controversial Comeback with MAGA-Themed Comedy Series Years After ‘Planet of the Apes’ Scandal with Obama Staffer
Roseanne Barr, who once was kicked off network television for making bigoted comments about a Black White House adviser, is preparing to make a controversial return to television.
The glorified Trump supporter has a history of making controversial comments and incidents, such as her recent “Daddy’s Home” music video to promote Donald Trump’s second election win.
This time, she’s leaning more heavily into her MAGA bag with a politically painted comedy series, but it seems at least half of the nation is interested in her alt-right brand of funny.
Barr has teamed up with veteran writer Allan Stephan, known for his work on her “Roseanne” show as well as “Arli$$,” to create a four-to-six-episode series, according to Variety.
The project, described by Barr as “a cross between ‘The Roseanne Show’ and ‘The Sopranos,’” centers on a small-town Alabama farmer battling drug gangs and China. Adding a touch of eccentricity, the protagonist dabbles in cannabis and magic mushroom cultivation.
“It’s silly and out there,” Barr said while promising to offer “very offensive ideas and a lot of swearing.”
Drawing from her experiences as a farmer in Hawaii, the series will also feature characters who, as she describes, “save America with guns, the Bible, petty crime and alcoholism.”
Barr likened the intended tone of the show to the films of the Coen brothers, whose quirky works like “No Country for Old Men” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” have little in common with anything from the comedienne’s oeuvre. The 76-year-old even teased quirky moments, including one where her character dons a corset to flirt with grotesque shopkeepers.
Many on social media blasted Roseanne’s new show idea before it’s even been picked up by a network.
“Rosanne Barr is making her television comeback, it’s a sitcom about her being a housewife but also the Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan. ‘How many times did I tell y’all to quit cutting holes in my fitted sheets!’ KKKitchen on Fox… News,” one person joked.
Rosanne Barr is making her television comeback, it’s a sitcom about her being a housewife but also the Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan. “How many times did I tell y’all to quit cutting holes in my fitted sheets!” KKKitchen on Fox… News
— JohnMoses (@JohnMoses) January 27, 2025
A second individual wrote, “I hope that’s a joke because I’m not watching it,” while a third posted, “Very interesting to see what network or streaming platform will pick this up.”
Another critic offered, “She already blew it with the Roseanne Revival. No other Network is going to risk their Billion dollar brand.”
Allan Stephan is the co-writer of the untitled series which has yet to land on any network. But some who believe they have an idea asked, “Is it produced by Trump Productions LLC?”
Stephan was adamant, “It’s not a Trump show by any means,” in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He said, “But it’s certainly about people that want to survive what’s going on in the country.”
He claims the pilot is a “nice mixture of the old Roseanne and the new Roseanne, but then there’s a side nobody knows… because she gets to actually be herself with no restrictions.”
So basically she’s playing Archie Bunker in dress pic.twitter.com/XhUNNbeW0y
— 🌹Lorraine L. Hayden🌹 (@Ms_Raine) January 27, 2025
While Barr’s allegiance to the MAGA movement appears strong, her relationship with its leadership is strained.
She recently revealed feeling sidelined by Trump’s administration, who she claims considers her a “loose cannon.” Her efforts to book Trump officials for “The Roseanne Barr” podcast have failed, and she admitted it truly hurt her feelings.
Still, Barr’s dedication to the cause and this new fan base is evident.
She collaborated with Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald on “Daddy’s Home,” a tribute song to Trump released ahead of his inauguration that has garnered over 4.8 million views on YouTube.
Check out the new song “Daddy’s Home” by Tom MacDonald featuring Rosanne Barr! 🇺🇸🤣
Link to full song: https://t.co/k4hoHMbyug pic.twitter.com/CusSXYhUeR
— Nicole Omholt (@NicoleOmholt) January 17, 2025
While the comedian embraced the MAGA social media pipeline to pump her standup, podcast and new projects, she has received backlash.
In 2024, online posts featuring Barr in blond braids, gold chains, and dark sunglasses prompted accusations of cultural appropriation.
This new venture marks Barr’s first major television effort since the cancellation of the “Roseanne” revival.
That reboot, which drew massive ratings, was abruptly ended in 2018 after Barr tweeted a comparison involving former Barack Obama adviser, Valerie Jarrett, sparking widespread backlash. The post said, “muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj.”
Although Barr’s co-star John Goodman — who appeared in the 1991 Coen brothers film “Barton Fink” — defended her, stating, “I know for a fact that she’s not a racist,” the fallout effectively ended her mainstream career.
She was dropped by her longtime agents over the tweet and has remained defiant in the years since.
Barr claims Disney cut ties with her after a political phone call, alleging that then-Disney CEO Bob Iger promised Jarrett and Obama her removal. Disney has denied these allegations.
Unfazed by potential rejection of the new show from traditional networks, Barr is prepared to take matters into her own hands.
“If Hollywood doesn’t buy it, then I’m just gonna make it myself,” she said. When asked if she’d ever return to ABC, she responded with a blunt, “F—k no.”
“Hollywood has made itself irrelevant to the American people,” she told Variety. “If they want to survive, they should work with the new president. American people elected him in an overwhelming victory.”
Confident in her ability to succeed with or without Hollywood’s blessing, she remarked, “I don’t give a f—k either way. I’d like to get paid handsomely to bring another s—t f—king network back from doom as I’ve done twice for ABC. But I just don’t see how they would keep their nose out of my business.”
With her characteristic mix of defiance and controversy, Barr is positioning herself for a bold, if contentious, reentry into the spotlight.
Whether audiences embrace or reject her latest project remains to be seen.