Roseanne Blocked Me On Twitter & Ruined My Childhood
Kyle McMahon talks why ‘Roseanne Blocked Me on Twitter’ and how Roseanne Barr spreading hate is the opposite of who Roseanne Connor is.
As a Millennial, I grew up watching Roseanne. It didn’t matter if it was the new episodes on ABC when I was in grade school or the reruns that were virtually everywhere through high school, college and beyond. Roseanne – the show – spoke to me. The Connors were a family just like mine – average, middle class and definitely not the picture perfect archetypal vision of what a family looks like. The Connors were my family and my family were the Connors. Like the Connors, my mom is very close with her siblings. It was normal for an Aunt to just stroll on in. Like the Connors my entire family is heavily involved in each others lives – always there when you truly need them. I saw my family on the TV with every single episode of Roseanne. The show was never afraid to tackle issues that no other sitcom would dare to: depression, LGBT issues, drugs, arguing with your parents, teenage pregnancy and interracial relationships.
I also learned a lot through watching Roseanne. Finding laughter in nearly any moment, for one. I also learned that the world was filled with people who weren’t exactly like me. They may be a different color, a different sexuality or a different religion. Who can forget Leon and his same sex marriage? Roseanne always handled these people as they always should have been handled – like any other character in your life. So it came as a shock to me that a couple of years back, Roseanne started tweeting things that were not only not-inclusive, but downright hateful.
She retweeted a tweet from an alt-right Twitter account comparing Muslims to Nazis. She retweeted debunked conspiracy theories from alt-right blogs Info Wars and Breitbart including the debunked conspiracy theory that millions of illegals voted in the Presidential election. She tweeted out how the trans community should have their own separate bathrooms because little girls hate them. She tweeted out a YouTube video called “Hillary Clinton Baby Sacrifices” (I’m not joking).
Years before, I had followed Roseanne on Twitter when she had started her account. I even tweeted about her reality show Roseanne’s Nuts telling her how amazing she looked. She liked the tweet. Everything was great for a few years. I’d like some of her funny tweets and had retweeted some of her other tweets. Occasionally, she’d respond to one of my own tweets. Then Donald Trump announced he was running for President. Soon after, Roseanne was tweeting some very questionable things. I tried to ignore the vicious alt right tweets she was sending out, but they came at a quickening pace. After tweeting about the debunked Hillary Clinton #Pizzagate conspiracy theory, I asked Roseanne if she truly believed this stuff? The alt-right Twitter community began attacking me immediately. I was sent the most insane, ridiculous things that I was shocked to learn that some actual adults believed. Tweets about “the deep state” and pedophile rings and murders in the name of Hillary Clinton. I literally felt like I was reading the writings of an insane person.
At first, I was responding to these people and that’s when it happened. Roseanne blocked me.
The Domestic Goddess herself – the barrier breaker I had grown up on actually blocked me on Twitter. I was disappointed. This was someone I grew up loving. This is someone who I had watched literally hundreds of hours of their show. I owned every episode. I could recall lines directly from the script. I knew every Halloween costume she wore – in chronological order. I watched freakin Roseanne’s Nuts for chrissakes. And now – I was cut off from her world for having the gall to question if she actually believed the hateful things she was tweeting. In fact, I’m not the only one.
Watching CNN discuss @therealroseanne and her effort to start a political dialogue with her new tv show. Just want to give her a shout for blocking me. pic.twitter.com/RgPQVSGZIC
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) March 28, 2018
Recently, the first episode of Roseanne in 20 years just debuted to over 18 million viewers. Her Twitter has been scrubbed of anything that could be remotely taken as alt right – even the Tweet she sent out the day of the revival premiere comparing Parkland shooting survivor David Hogg to nazis was deleted shortly after she sent it out. The two episode block that aired as the premiere delved right into politics finding Jackie and Roseanne at odds over who they voted for (Jackie voted for Clinton, while Roseanne voted for Trump). The Connors are even more inclusive then they ever were: an interracial grandchild and a grandson who wears skirts and glitter are added to the family. The “reboot” season originated from and is executive produced by Sara Gilbert – Darlene, so it makes sense that the show is once again breaking barriers.
I hope that Roseanne Barr follows in the footsteps of Roseanne Connor and opens her mind a little bit more. Instead of blocking people with different opinions, why not have a conversation? Instead of comparing Muslims to Nazi’s why not sit down with someone from the Islamic faith and ask them your questions directly? I certainly don’t understand why she would go on The View and say that she hopes that the new season of Roseanne will start a political dialogue because “we all have the hope that people will start talking to each other again, ‘cuz that’s what we need”. Clearly, that’s not something she’s truly interested in doing.
Roseanne is one of the most powerful women in the TV world. She’s a television icon and nothing can change that. My only hope is that she doesn’t ruin her own ground breaking legacy through holding hate in her heart towards people that are different from her. Her entire career has been built on embracing the very outcasts she’s been condemning while simultaneously being the American every woman. Vote for Trump, volunteer for his campaign and proudly wear your MAGA hat but don’t spread hate and divisiveness to populations whose safety is already compromised. Don’t spread hate and divisiveness at all. You’ve changed hearts and minds for the better on many important topics over the last few decades through your groundbreaking comedy – we need that Roseanne back now more than ever. You’re absolutely right in saying that people need to start talking to each other again – now take your own advice.
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