American University Professor of Politics joined GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle on GoLocal LIVE where she spoke to Roseanne Barr’s racist Tweet on Tuesday that saw Barr’s recently re-launched show on ABC promptly canceled -- and more.
“The biggest reaction? The speed of which ABC and Disney responded to the Tweet and canceled the show. There was not a big discussion or debate,” said Lawless.
“That really indicates we've moved quite a bit as a country. We've seen people punished taken down for sexual harassment -- this is an example of how we are not tolerating racism either,” said Lawless. “Given the ratings, what they were and the show was quite critically acclaimed when it came back -- there were real costs and ABC and Disney went ahead and did it anyway.”
Lawless spoke to what could be next in the “Roseanne” cancellation fallout.
“Some of it comes down to whether the President or his allies decide to speak or Tweet in defense of Roseanne,” said Lawless. “Some of it comes down to whether she decides to enter the fray and justify her actions or suggest this was an overcorrection -- at this point it has legs to the extent that opponents of the cancellation decide to give it legs.”
Related Slideshow: GoLocal: Benchmark Poll, October 2017
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