Roseanne Barr: Health, Politics, Net Worth, Current Status

Few sitcom stars have reshaped American television the way Roseanne Barr did in the late 1980s — and then watched it all unravel three decades later. Her story stretches from a groundbreaking working-class comedy to a racist tweet that ended her network career, a turn toward right-wing politics, and a quiet life on a Hawaiian farm.

Born: November 3, 1952 (age 73) ·
Net worth (estimated): $80 million ·
Notable TV series: Roseanne (1988–1997, 2018) ·
Award wins: Emmy, Golden Globe, Peabody ·
2012 presidential nomination: Peace and Freedom Party

Six key facts about Roseanne Barr, from her early life to her current situation.

What Condition Does Roseanne Barr Have?

The pattern: a public figure whose medical narrative has shifted multiple times, making it hard to separate confirmed facts from passing mentions.

Diagnosis of glaucoma and cannabis use

• Barr has said she was diagnosed with glaucoma, a condition that damages the eye’s optic nerve and can lead to vision loss (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• She has spoken openly about using medical marijuana to manage the symptoms, a treatment option that aligns with her long-time advocacy for cannabis legalization (Wikipedia (biography entry)).

Public statements on mental health

• Barr has discussed anxiety and stress in interviews and on social media, although she has not disclosed a formal diagnosis of any specific mental health condition (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• In 2018, after the tweet that cost her the Roseanne revival, she said she had been taking Ambien, a sleep aid, at the time — a claim that remains disputed (AOL (news report)).

Why Was Roseanne Removed from The Conners?

The implication: a single tweet dismantled what had been the most successful TV comeback of 2018.

The racist tweet controversy (2018)

• On May 29, 2018, Barr posted a tweet comparing former Obama advisor Valerie Jarrett to an ape. The post went viral within hours (Esquire (news analysis)).
• ABC, owned by Disney, canceled the Roseanne revival the same day — a decision announced by then-CEO Bob Iger (Esquire (news analysis)).

Aftermath: cancellation and spin-off

• In June 2018, ABC announced The Conners, a spin-off series that continued the story of the Conner family without Barr’s character. Barr reached a settlement agreement that allowed the show to proceed without her involvement (Esquire (news analysis)).

Roseanne’s public apologies and responses

• Barr deleted the tweet and issued an apology, writing on Twitter that she was “truly sorry” for making a “bad joke” (AOL (news report)).
• She later said she had been on Ambien when she sent the tweet, though Sanofi, the drug’s manufacturer, responded that “racism is not a known side effect” (AOL (news report)).

The catch: her apology and explanation failed to win back ABC, and the show continued without her, effectively ending her network television career.

Does Roseanne Barr Support Trump?

The pattern: Barr’s political evolution — from progressive sitcom star to Trump supporter to occasional critic — mirrors the broader realignment of celebrity politics in the Trump era.

Public endorsements and social media posts

• Barr has repeatedly expressed support for Donald Trump on social media. In a January 2025 Facebook post, she wrote that she was “celebrating Trump’s third straight presidential campaign win” (Roseanne Barr (official Facebook page)).
• She defended her support for Trump on The Tonight Show in May 2018, telling Jimmy Fallon she didn’t “give a f—” about the backlash (The Hollywood Reporter (entertainment news outlet)).
• Trump called Barr in March 2018 to congratulate her on the Roseanne reboot’s success (NBC News (national news organization)).

Political candidacy in 2012 (Peace and Freedom Party)

• In 2012, Barr ran for president as the nominee of the Peace and Freedom Party, a left-wing third party. She received about 67,000 votes nationally (Wikipedia (biography entry)).

Relationship with the Trump family

• Barr met with Trump at the White House in 2018, and she has maintained ties with Trump-aligned media figures (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• In July 2025, however, she publicly criticized Trump over his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, posting “Read the damn room” on social media (The Hill (political news outlet)).

What Is Going On with Roseanne Barr Now?

The pattern: a celebrity who chose ideological consistency over career longevity, and now operates in a parallel media ecosystem.

Current projects: podcast, comedy, social media

• Barr hosts a podcast in which she discusses politics, pop culture, and her personal life (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• She occasionally performs stand-up comedy, though she has not returned to network television since 2018 (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• In January 2025, she appeared on the track “Daddy’s Home” by rapper Tom MacDonald (Wikipedia (biography entry)).

Health updates

• Barr has continued to manage glaucoma, using medical marijuana as part of her treatment (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• A 2026 article reported that Barr discussed possible heart issues on her podcast, though she did not confirm a specific diagnosis (Legit.ng (biography site)).

Relationship with John Goodman and co-stars

• John Goodman, who played her on-screen husband Dan Conner, has said in interviews that he and Barr no longer speak. He called the 2018 tweet “just a shame” and confirmed he has not had contact with her since the cancellation (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• Other cast members, including Sara Gilbert and Laurie Metcalf, have also distanced themselves from Barr publicly (Wikipedia (biography entry)).

What Is Roseanne Barr’s Net Worth and Personal Life?

What this means: Barr’s financial security is largely tied to a career that peaked in the 1990s, supplemented by residuals and farm income. The 2018 firing cost her the biggest payday of her later career, but she remains independently wealthy.

Net worth estimate and sources

• Barr’s net worth is estimated at about $80 million, according to multiple celebrity finance outlets (TheRichest (celebrity finance site)). Some estimates place it closer to $70 million as of 2026 (Tuko (biography site)).
• Her wealth comes primarily from the original Roseanne sitcom (which ran for nine seasons and earned her an estimated $2 million per episode at its peak), syndication royalties, stand-up comedy, and book deals (TheRichest (celebrity finance site)).

Children and family

• Barr has five children: Jessica, Jennifer, Jake, Buck, and Brandi (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• Her children have largely stayed out of the public eye, though her son Buck has occasionally appeared with her on social media.

Marriages and spouse history

• Barr was married to Bill Pentland (1974–1990), Tom Arnold (1990–1994), and Ben Thomas (1995–2002) (Wikipedia (biography entry)).
• She currently lives in Hawaii on a macadamia nut farm with her partner, Johnny Argent (Wikipedia (biography entry)).

Timeline

• 1988–1997: Original Roseanne sitcom airs, becomes a hit
• 2012: Runs for president as Peace and Freedom Party nominee (Wikipedia)
• March 2018: Roseanne revival premieres, massive ratings (TheRichest)
• May 29, 2018: Posts racist tweet about Valerie Jarrett; ABC cancels the show (Esquire)
• June 2018: The Conners announced without Barr (Esquire)
• 2018–present: Pursues podcast, comedy, and social media; lives in Hawaii (Wikipedia)
• 2020–2021: Reports of health issues (glaucoma) and cannabis use (Wikipedia)
• January 2025: Posts celebrating Trump’s campaign win; features on Tom MacDonald track (Facebook)
• July 2025: Criticizes Trump over Epstein scandal (The Hill)

What’s Unclear

“I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her appearance. I should have known better.”

— Roseanne Barr, apology tweet, May 2018 (AOL (news report))

“It was a racist tweet, and we made a decision to cancel the show.”

— Bob Iger, former CEO of Disney/ABC, on the cancellation decision (Esquire (news analysis))

“Roseanne is a really good person. She went overboard. I know her very well. She is a good person.”

— Donald Trump, defending Barr in a phone call with reporters, May 2018 (NBC News (national news organization))

For Roseanne Barr, the choice between maintaining a mainstream career and doubling down on her political identity was made in a single tweet. The consequence: a life split between a right-wing media ecosystem and a Hawaiian farm, with little chance of a network TV comeback. For fans of the original show, the takeaway is that one of television’s most authentic voices traded a $2.5 million-per-season paycheck for ideological consistency — and the trade-off appears permanent.

For a detailed look at how the show evolved after her departure, read more about the cast of The Conners.

Frequently asked questions