John Goodman’s candid admission about his long silence with Roseanne Barr unveils a bittersweet chapter in sitcom history. The 73-year-old actor, beloved for his role in The Righteous Gemstones, hasn’t spoken to Barr, 72, in nearly a decade. Their fallout, tied to her 2018 Twitter scandal, still casts a shadow over their once-vibrant partnership, as the New York Post reports.

Goodman and Barr starred as Dan and Roseanne Conner on Roseanne, a cultural juggernaut from 1988 to 1997. The show’s 2018 revival promised nostalgia but imploded when Barr tweeted a vile comparison of Obama aide Valerie Jarrett to an ape. ABC’s swift cancellation reflected a network bowing to progressive outrage, leaving fans and cast in limbo.

“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent,” ABC’s Channing Dungey declared at the time, pulling the plug on the show.

Barr’s claim that “God told me” to post it baffled even her staunchest defenders. Her excuse reeked to many of deflection, dodging accountability in a world quick to crucify for less.

Roseanne’s fall and The Conners' rise

ABC pivoted to The Conners, a spinoff that debuted in 2018 without Barr. Goodman reprised his role as Dan, joined by Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert. Killing off Barr’s character via opioid overdose was a bold, if grim, narrative choice.

The Conners ran for seven seasons, wrapping on April 23, 2025. Its finale featured Goodman’s unscripted, tearful “goodnight” to the audience, a moment he pitched himself. The raw emotion underscored the show’s attempt to honor its roots while navigating Barr’s absence.

“We hit it off from jump street,” Goodman recalled of his early days with Barr. Their chemistry fueled Roseanne’s peak, drawing 20 to 30 million viewers. Yet, his wistful tone betrays a longing for an era when laughter wasn’t drowned out by cultural landmines.

Goodman’s reflections on Barr

Goodman’s estrangement from Barr stings with quiet regret. “I’d rather doubt if she wants to talk to me,” he said, signaling a rift deeper than public spats. His reluctance to bridge the gap suggests wounds from her actions cut beyond the professional.

Barr’s bitterness over The Conners festers. “You f–ing stole from me,” she raged at producers, rejecting a guest role as a ghost. Her fury, while raw, ignores the self-inflicted nature of her exile, a cautionary tale of hubris in the digital age.

“She made me laugh,” Goodman said, reminiscing on their shared joy. But his nostalgia clashes with today’s polarized reality, where one tweet can torch decades of goodwill. The contrast exposes the fragility of fame in a woke-obsessed era.

The Conners’ emotional farewell

The unscripted tears in The Conners finale weren’t just for show. Goodman’s idea to break the fourth wall gave fans closure, a nod to the Conner family’s enduring appeal.

It was a rare moment of authenticity in a medium often stifled by corporate sanitization.

“Things are so different now,” Goodman mused, reflecting on Roseanne’s glory days. His words carry weight in an industry reshaped by social media and cancel culture. The shift from carefree comedy to ideological battleground leaves little room for grace.

The Conners succeeded without Barr, proving the cast’s resilience. Yet, its existence is a bittersweet reminder of what was lost. Barr’s absence looms, a ghost in the narrative she once defined.

Goodman’s recent setback

Goodman’s recent work on The Revenant with Tom Cruise hit a snag in March. A slip in stocking feet led to a fractured hip, sidelining him for two months. “I was passing Tom, and my legs just went,” he recounted, grimacing at the memory.

“I didn’t know I had fractured it,” Goodman admitted, underscoring the injury’s severity. His recovery, nearly complete, reflects his grit at 73. Still, the accident highlights the physical toll of a career spent in the spotlight.

“So far, so good,” Goodman said of his healing. His optimism is a small victory, but the incident underscores the unpredictability of life, on set or off.

For a man who’s weathered personal and professional storms, it’s just another chapter.