• ABC canceled its hit reboot of Roseanne on Tuesday after star Roseanne Barr's racially charged tweet that referred to former Barack Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett as a product of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Planet of the Apes. ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said the comment "is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values." Barr apologized and deleted her Monday night tweet, calling it a "bad joke," but the damage had already been done. Barr was also dumped by her talent agency, ICM Partners. The revival of the comedy was a surprise smash for ABC, owned by the Walt Disney Co., and was counted on to lead the network's fortunes next season. The revival's first new episode in March was seen by more than 25 million people, with delayed viewing counted, numbers that are increasingly rare in network television. ABC expected advertisers to pay millions of dollars for the chance to be seen during commercial breaks on the popular comedy. Barr's contentious remark came in reply to a tweet about a WikiLeaks report claiming the CIA spied on French presidential candidates during the Obama administration. "I should have known better. Forgive me-my joke was in bad taste," Barr later tweeted. An hour before ABC canceled the series, consulting producer Wanda Sykes said she would not return to the show, which had been renewed for a 13-episode second season. Barr's co-star Sara Gilbert, who also co-hosts the CBS daytime show The Talk, also addressed the flap, calling Barr's comments "abhorrent." The NAACP applauded ABC's actions. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson called Barr's comments "appalling and reminiscent of a horrific time in our history when racism was not only acceptable but promoted by Hollywood." He commended the network "for placing the values of diversity, inclusion and respect for humanity above ratings."
• A private retreat up for auction in the Turks and Caicos Islands is believed to be the only remaining property in Prince's real estate portfolio. A New York auction house is taking sealed bids on the 5.7-acre property, which is bound by water on three sides and includes several structures totaling more than 10,000 square feet. The Minneapolis Star Tribune says the property includes two private beaches, a marina and a long, winding driveway painted purple. Prince bought the property in 2011 for $13 million. The property is expected to sell for at least $15 million. The auction ends July 12. Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose on April 21, 2016. His estate began selling off his real estate holdings in late 2016.
A Section on 05/30/2018