Roseanne Barr Alleges That Barack & Michelle Obama Directly Pressured Disney and Bob Iger to Fire Her as Free Speech Cancel Culture Arguments Rage

Roseanne Barr claims that Barack and Michelle Obama personally urged Bob Iger and Disney to cancel her show, following Jimmy Kimmel’s temporary absence from television.

Barack Obama sparked a lot of discussion online Thursday after commenting on the pause of Jimmy Kimmel’s show. He criticized the current administration, led by Donald Trump, for what he sees as increasing “cancel culture” – specifically, using the threat of official action against news organizations to silence voices they disagree with.

As someone who really values a free press, I’m genuinely worried about what’s happening right now. For years, people have talked about ‘cancel culture,’ but it feels like this administration is taking things to a whole new level. They’re actually threatening companies – hinting at regulations – if those companies don’t silence journalists or commentators who are critical of them. It’s a really dangerous path to start going down, and it makes me fear for the future of open debate and honest reporting.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 18, 2025

However, his remarks immediately received a strong and direct criticism from Roseanne Barr, who herself has a well-known past involving Disney.

Roseanne Barr’s Allegation

Within an hour of Obama’s post, Barr fired back on X.

Remember when you and your wife called Bob Iger to have me fired?

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) September 18, 2025

The comedian, formerly a popular face on ABC’s prime-time comedy shows, recalled a time when he and the comedian’s wife contacted Bob Iger and asked him to have the comedian fired.

The claim immediately brought renewed attention to the 2018 firing that concluded the successful reboot of the show *Roseanne*.

The 2018 Firing of Roseanne

Roseanne Barr’s highly-rated TV show was cancelled without warning on May 29, 2018, shortly after she posted a tweet that many found offensive. The tweet compared Valerie Jarrett, a former advisor to President Obama, to characters from the movie *Planet of the Apes* and also criticized the Iran Nuclear Deal negotiated during the Obama administration. Barr has since stated she didn’t realize Jarrett was Black, but the tweet immediately sparked widespread criticism.

That same day, then-ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey issued a scathing statement.

The network condemned Roseanne Barr’s tweet as hateful and unacceptable, and announced the cancellation of her show as a result.

I was totally shocked when they announced it was cancelled! I mean, *Roseanne* was huge – seriously, it was one of the most-watched shows on TV at the time, always getting the highest ratings. It just didn’t seem to make any sense.

Bob Iger’s Role

In his 2019 memoir, *The Ride of a Lifetime*, Disney CEO Bob Iger shared that he made the ultimate decision to cancel the show.

He wrote: “If any of our employees tweeted what she tweeted, they’d be immediately terminated.”

Iger also mentioned he personally informed Valerie Jarrett about the announcement beforehand. This sparked rumors of political maneuvering at the time, but Iger insisted the decision was made according to Disney’s own guidelines.

The Obama Connection

Roseanne now claims Barack and Michelle Obama personally pressured Bob Iger, but there’s no public evidence to support this claim. The only confirmed contact is a phone call Iger made to Valerie Jarrett.

Barr’s claim has brought up the long-standing question of whether she was fired for business reasons, or because of political influence from outside the company.

Obama’s Comments on Kimmel

President Obama initially spoke out on Thursday to support Jimmy Kimmel, whose talk show was suspended after he wouldn’t apologize for sharing inaccurate information related to the death of Charlie Kirk.

Obama framed the situation as a chilling example of government coercion.

Look, as someone who’s been watching the media landscape for a long time, I’m genuinely concerned. We’ve heard a lot of talk about ‘cancel culture,’ but what this administration is doing feels different – and frankly, a lot more alarming. It’s not just about people being upset online; they’re actively threatening companies, hinting at regulatory consequences if those companies don’t silence journalists or commentators who are critical of them. It’s a clear attempt to control the narrative, and it’s a dangerous precedent to set.

Okay, so here’s the thing. This whole argument about political interference in media felt a little ironic, because Barr immediately pointed out she was essentially ‘canceled’ herself during the Obama administration. And she’s claiming Obama’s team engaged in similar tactics to what Trump is now being accused of – a real pot-kettle situation, honestly. It definitely muddied the waters and made the whole debate feel less straightforward.

Roseanne vs. Kimmel: Two Very Different Cases

As a film and TV buff, I’ve been following the Roseanne Barr situation closely, and she’s been really firm about how what happened to her in 2018 isn’t the same as Jimmy Kimmel’s recent suspension. She basically says the two situations are totally different and can’t be compared – the circumstances were just worlds apart.

Roseanne Barr’s tweet about Valerie Jarrett caused widespread outrage, but Barr insists she was fired not for that single comment, but for her strong opposition to the Iran nuclear deal. She claims she was unfairly attacked and discredited for speaking honestly about the foreign policy decisions made during the Obama administration.

Jimmy Kimmel’s situation is quite different. Instead of just one problematic statement, he’s being accused of spreading false information after Charlie Kirk’s murder, specifically claiming the killer was a Trump supporter even though evidence clearly showed otherwise. According to Barr, this difference is significant.

The situations aren’t comparable. I didn’t lose my job for dishonesty; I was fired for being truthful about the Iran deal and then unfairly attacked. Ultimately, this will be more damaging to those who share my views than to the other side. Jimmy Kimmel will have the media’s full support to defend his reputation with a complete public relations campaign.

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) September 18, 2025

Barr clarified on X that the situations aren’t comparable. He stated he wasn’t fired for dishonesty, but for truthfully criticizing the Iran deal, and that false accusations were made against him. He believes the current situation will ultimately be more damaging to his side than to the other, and that Jimmy Kimmel will receive significant media support to defend his reputation.

As a supporter, I see this as more than just a network issue. The FCC has rules against broadcasting false information, and while Roseanne’s situation was handled internally by the network, Jimmy Kimmel’s comments could actually create legal problems. If regulators decide he intentionally reported something untrue, there could be penalties involved. It’s a different situation because it potentially breaks the law, not just a workplace rule.

Essentially, one situation involved a hurtful personal comment that led to Barr losing her show, while the other concerns possible false information that could affect a larger audience. Barr believes this distinction is why Kimmel is getting a chance to repair his reputation, while she wasn’t given the same opportunity.

Free Speech or Double Standard?

The disagreement between Barack Obama and Roseanne Barr reveals a clear difference in how people view “cancel culture.” Obama cautions against politicians pressuring companies to silence those who disagree with them. Barr, on the other hand, believes the Obamas did this to her seven years ago.

Regardless of whether you agree with Barr’s response, its timing shows she’s still upset about being fired and highlights the ongoing discussion about freedom of speech, corporate influence, and the role of politics in the entertainment industry.

2025-09-18 23:59