Wanda Sykes Quits 'Roseanne' After Racist Twitter Rant from Roseanne Barr

Earlier this year, ABC brought back its hit sitcom Roseanne and achieved massive ratings. But the show's success could be threatened by the unhinged rhetoric of its titular star Roseanne Barr, who continues to unleash hateful thoughts online. Following a racist Twitter rant earlier today, the show's Wanda Sykes has stepped down.

UPDATE (5/29, 2 p.m. EDT): Roseanne has now been cancelled entirely by ABC. You can learn further details here.

Barr tweeted about Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to Barack Obama, calling her the offspring of the "Muslim Brotherhood & Planet of the Apes." When Barr was criticized for the rant, the comedian started by defending herself before she (or her publicist) tweeted an apology:

I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks. I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste.

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 29, 2018

I apologize. I am now leaving Twitter.

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 29, 2018

In addition to the massive fallout online, Barr also lost some collaborators as a result of her racist tirade. Comedian Wanda Sykes, who served as a consulting producer on the show's first season, announced that she was quitting the project:
 

I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC.

— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) May 29, 2018

A source close to Sykes told TMZ the tweet from Barr is "100 percent why she quit." According to the site, Skykes and Jarrett are friends, with the pair going as far back as 2009.