Despite it all, Channing Dungey, the president of ABC Entertainment Group, has no regrets about greenlighting the Roseanne revival.
During the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in Laguna Niguel, California, Dungey said, “We had a great conversation about the kinds of stories they wanted to tell, those broader stories that deal with a part of our country, particularly those that are more challenged economically.”
On the choice to fire the star and cancel the first iteration of the reboot, she said, “You don’t want to infringe on someone’s freedom of speech or their ability to share their views. At some point, there’s a standard of behavior we’re looking for for people associated with The Walt Disney Co.”
A racist tweet from Roseanne about Valerie Jarrett spurred a flurry of outcry on social media, with many calling for ABC to cancel Roseanne.
Among the bevy of controversy the show got since its premiere, one situation, in particular, included an offensive “joke” directed toward Black-ish and Fresh off the Boat which Dungey said she stood behind at the time.
Despite the controversy, the show remained a ratings juggernaut for the network, which made a move to cancel the show a big one.
Roseanne without Roseanne Barr, also known as The Connors, premieres on ABC October 16.