In an Instagram video, the former D.J. Conner explained he reached out to Barr after her 2018 tweet and urged a calm dialogue.
Michael Fishman, who played D.J. Conner on the original Roseanne, posted a short Instagram video on September 24 to address the barrage of insults his former TV mother unleashed on the Can’t Be Censored podcast. The veteran actor said he had reached out to Barr back in 2018, after she posted a tweet that linked a former Obama adviser to extremist groups, a comment that led to the reboot’s cancellation.
"I gave you respect and asked for clarity. I never turned my back," Fishman said, his tone measured and free of the profanity that Barr used. He added that he had contacted her in the hopes of understanding why she had taken such a public stance, even though he “vehemently disagreed” with the content of her tweet.
Barr, 73, responded on the same podcast with a string of expletives, telling Fishman, "Don't f------- put my name in your f------- mouth" and later branding him a "bigot," an "ignoramus," and a "little f------- worm." She concluded with a harsh directive for him to "go and f--- yourself and stay f------ till the day you die."
Fishman’s video did not mirror that level of anger. Instead, he framed the exchange as a glimpse into a darker chapter of his childhood, referring to the years he spent on the set of Roseanne. "I’m living something publicly a lot of you have been navigating privately," he said, hinting at the personal toll of watching a mentor change so dramatically over time.
He also thanked Barr for confirming that he had reached out after the 2018 incident, a move he described as an act of compassion despite deep disagreement. "We don’t understand and we don’t agree with it," he added, noting that sometimes the people who shape our values can become sources of resentment.
The feud, which has simmered since the reboot’s demise, resurfaced when Barr’s son, Jake Pentland, accused Fishman of colluding with other cast members to push her off the show. Pentland’s comments, delivered in a recent interview, suggested that Fishman’s career might suffer as a result of the controversy.
Fishman, however, has not escalated the conflict. He refrained from returning any profanity, opting instead to ask for a “retraction or apology,” while also indicating that he may share a fuller picture of his experience on the original series in the near future.
Industry observers note that the public spat shows how long‑running sitcoms can become personal battlegrounds when politics and personal beliefs collide. For now, Fishman’s calm approach has drawn praise from fans who appreciate his willingness to address the issue without stooping to the same level of vitriol.
The next chapter remains uncertain. Whether Barr will respond to Fishman’s appeal for civility, or whether the two will simply drift apart, is a question that will likely play out across social media in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned for any updates on this evolving drama.
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