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Twitter is not sleeping on Roseanne Barr's bizarre excuse for a racist comment that resulted in the cancellation of her eponymous reboot "Roseanne." Turns out, side effects of blaming a drug for racism include over 238,000 tweets making fun of you.
In a since-deleted tweet after the termination of her titular show by ABC, the (former) sitcom star claimed she was "Ambien tweeting" when she wrote a racist comment comparing an African-American former White House adviser to an ape.
Twitter immediately erupted in outrage, shock and bewilderment that she would try to deflect obvious racism on the sleep drug. Even fellow Hollywood stars were quick to hop on the bandwagon, with Don Cheadle, Anna Kendrick, Pauley Perrette and Kumail Nanjiani weighing in.
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View StoryBarr's original tweet read, "It was two in the morning and I was Ambien tweeting -- it was Memorial Day too -- I went too far and do not want it defended; it was egregious, indefensible. I made a mistake I wish I hadn't but... don't defend it please."
She later deleted that post and replaced it with another, in response to someone criticizing her Ambien excuse, claiming she was not blaming the drug, per se, for her original tweet.
no, i didnt i blamed myself. stop lying. Yes, I have had odd ambien experiences on tweeting late at night-like many other ppl do. I BLAME MYSELF OK? it's just an explanation not an excuse, Ok, bully?
@therealroseanne
Among those clapping back at the former sitcom star was Sanofi, the manufacturer of insomnia drug Ambien. In a perfectly dry and official statement, the pharmaceutical company made it very clear that racism is not a side effect of any of their drugs.
People of all races, religions and nationalities work at Sanofi every day to improve the lives of people around the world. While all pharmaceutical treatments have side effects, racism is not a known side effect of any Sanofi medication.
@SanofiUS
Even Wikipedia got in on the fun, though probably not at the behest of the company itself. The crowd-sourced Internet encyclopedia lets regular users update its entries, and someone did just that after Roseanne's Ambien excuse tweet. A new statement was added, updating the drug's side effects.
The addition, which has since been deleted, stated, "In 2018, the American Roseanne Barr made the public aware of a number of previously undisclosed side effects to Zolpidem (aka Ambien) including: racism, Trump-tweeting, anthem-spitting, unpatriotic crotch grabbing, public irritation, political agitation, sore losing, sore winning, special election upsets, butt-hurt, hate, avalanches, and loss of sitcom."
After the initial tweetstorm on Monday night, Barr had apologized and tweeted that she would not be returning to Twitter, but that didn't last the day. Overnight on Tuesday, she drafted several additional apologies, or "explanations," before deleting them and trying again. And while Barr's original Ambien-blaming tweet is gone, much like her deleted racist tweet, its legacy lives on.
Below are some of the best comments from Hollywood and beyond after Barr scapegoated Ambien for her racist tweet.
When you are awake at 4:30 in the morning for no GD reason and you check Twitter to find that (on the day you need her most) your good pal Ambien is being dragged through the mud pic.twitter.com/Uw7OB4ZYy1
@AnnaKendrick47
I checked. And Ambien does NOT make you racist. ..... Nice try, though, @therealroseanne. #Roseanne
@VanJones68
Pol Pot was on a lot of ambien.
@kumailn
The name Ambien is thought to come from the word "ambient" or similar words in French. Ambient does not mean "prone to making racist comments," but it does mean "of the surrounding area or environment." https://t.co/UpYY5eKzIo https://t.co/XsPn8FthV5
@Dictionarycom
ambien is a hell of a drug ... https://t.co/QF4xWbMhDE
@DonCheadle
Roseanne claims she was on Ambien at the time of her tweet. Sanofi-Aventis quickly amended their ads to include “may cause racism, ignorance, bigotry, support of authoritarians and demagogues, and loss of a hit television show. See your psychiatrist for assistance.”
@GeorgeTakei
Can you imagine how much Ambien Hitler must have been taking?
@andylassner
Old adage:
@PauleyP
“A sober mans thoughts are a drunk mans words” so
“A racist gals thoughts are Ambien's words” Sorry #Roseanne Too much. And this? pic.twitter.com/phYmfmZesa
Ambien does not cause overt racism. Even minor racism. Check with your pharmacist if concerned. https://t.co/mkZQ5Oo9kd
@DomMitchell
Ambien makes you racist? No wonder some of y'all can't get woke. 😛
@ashleyn1cole
I have only taken Ambien once...but I don't remember one of the side-effects being racism.
@JohnBerman
Who among us hasn't taken Ambien, sleepwalked down to the fridge, and posted dozens of racist tweets over several years
@TheDweck
Ambien has quite a few side effects but racism isn't one of them. Even if Roseanne wanted to claim she had an Ambien blackout and was sleep tweeting, that racism had to come from somewhere deep within.
@eugenegu
When I started taking Ambien I was a white woman.
@JustinGuarini
early Ambien users pic.twitter.com/9P3Fltl7GU
@BillCorbett
Ambien causes racism.
@warrenleightTV
Pornography and too many exits cause school shootings.
Economic anxiety led to Trump's election.
The problem with Roseanne's “Ambien” explanation is that sleep medicine doesn't turn you into a racist
@CillizzaCNN
Announcer: "Oh, I'm sorry that's IN-correct! The correct answer was Ambien!!! The cause of her racist tweet was not her racism, it was her *ambien*. But thanks for playing."
@Toure
Wait.....Ritalin leads to school shootings and now #Ambien makes you a racist??? pic.twitter.com/sVsbroKwiv
@slgore76
Pharmacists' now checking with the FDA to see of #Ambien causes racism. 😂 pic.twitter.com/C7rQ1f0mUj
@ChildPleez007
When you pop an #Ambien before the BBQ pic.twitter.com/vEvyGbazjO
@el_travs
guys i went and rewatched the ambien commercial and whoa pic.twitter.com/4AZ69Mdanf
@senatorshoshana
Ask your doctor if blaming Ambien for your racism is right for you.
@TeaPartyCat
Roseanne puts the “Ambien” in “I am bein' racist”
@EliBraden
*side effects may include drowsiness, sudden lack of racism control, and loss of TV series. Do not operate keyboards or cell phones while taking Ambien. pic.twitter.com/5sqVQjwq52
@iowahawkblog
It's a rarely known fact, but Hitler invaded Poland in 1939 because he was taking #ambien.
@Spacekatgal
Sitting down to watch Roseanne while on Ambien pic.twitter.com/rsNkST1v3W
@STUD6699
Ask your Klan leader if Ambien is right for you.
@BettyFckinWhite
You know what, I was skeptical at first, but I did a little poking around and maybe the Ambien defense checks out pic.twitter.com/yVrMtHy88j
@lukeoneil47
{Mel Gibson slaps his forehead}
@lloydrang
Ambien! Dammit ...
ambien has to come out with a roseanne diss track now
@cbranch89
Good thing everyone on this red eye flight took Ambien Non-Racist or else a Klan rally might have broken out in baggage claim.
@BillWeirCNN
Official response from Ambien pic.twitter.com/k0IC75R1HI
@Keedinah
“Sorry universe. I was on Ambien. I guess I just snapped” - Thanos pic.twitter.com/PGIwemtpNA
@Mrfurious32821
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