Tim Allen Speaks Out On Roseanne Cancellation Controversy

A former 90s sitcom star is defending Roseanne Barr after the popular reboot of her show was cancelled by ABC in May following racist remarks made by the star on Twitter.

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Tim Allen, who shared sitcom fame alongside Barr some 20 years ago for his show, Home Improvement, is speaking out about the series of events. "I go way back with Rosie and that's not the Rosie I know. She was the most diverse and tolerant woman I've ever known for a long time. Whatever got in her head isn't the Roseanne I know. It's a very ice time," said Allen, when asked if ABC was right to fire Barr after her racist tweet. "I've been a comedian for 38 years and I've never seen it, like Lenny Bruce said at the Purple Onion, 'We've gone backwards.' There are things you can't say. There are things you shouldn't say. Who makes these rules? As a stand-up comic, it's a dangerous position to be in because I like pushing buttons. It's unfortunate."

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The comments, according to Entertainment Weekly, came from Allen Thursday at the Television Critics Association's press tour in Beverly Hills after a panel for his series Last Man Standing, which was also cancelled by ABC but picked up by Fox. When pressed further about whether or not ABC's decision was the correct one, Allen said: "They had to do what they had to do and that's their decision."

Read more about the Last Man Standing panel, including whether or not Allen's character is a Trump supporter, in the full EW article, here.