Michael Fishman Apologizes to Fans for 'Chaos' of Roseanne Barr Feud

Michael Fishman, who played D.J. Conner on the ABC sitcom "Roseanne" for nine seasons, has publicly apologized to fans for what he called the "chaos over the course of the past week" following his public feud with former co-star Roseanne Barr.

"I've heard from a lot of you [that you] feel like your TV family is fighting," Fishman said in a video posted on his Instagram page. "I had the privilege of growing up with so many of you or around so many of you. And the truth is, I'm gonna keep pushing out love and light because it's the path that I've chosen over the years."

The feud began in August, when Fishman said the show's 2018 reboot "was rightfully canceled" after Barr posted a racist tweet. Barr responded on the "Can't Be Censored" podcast, calling Fishman a "brainwashed bigot" and "a fucking little worm."

Fishman's video, addressed directly to viewers of the long-running sitcom, stressed the series' place in fans' lives. "Our show has been a comfort show for you. So I want you to know we're not going to ruin it," he said. "I'm going to do whatever I can to uphold that legacy and make sure it stays with you."

He added that "the show meant something to me as a kid" and "it became even more real afterward." Under the video, he wrote: "Gentle reminder to shine. We find our way home and back together."

Fishman appeared on all nine seasons of "Roseanne," which ran from 1988 to 1997, and returned for the nine-episode revival season that aired in 2018. At the time, Variety reported that the revival finished its first season as the number one scripted primetime television show in the 18-49 age range.

After the reboot's cancellation, Fishman reprised the role of D.J. Conner for four seasons on the follow-up series "The Conners," which ran for seven seasons from 2018 to 2025.

With the spin-off now concluded, Fishman's apology marks his most direct attempt to close the rift with the show's audience — though Barr, for her part, has shown no sign of retracting her remarks.