Things to Do
Things to Do

Wanda Sykes addresses ‘Roseanne’ cancellation at Atlanta show

A rambunctious audience had to push the comic to talk about ‘Roseanne’

ABC Cancels "Roseanne" Amid Twitter Controversy
By
June 21, 2018

Wanda Sykes spared almost no one associated with the Trump administration during her routine Wednesday night at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.

Sykes was at the Fox to headline a celebration of the 49th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, a seminal turning point in the LGBTQ rights movement.

Tig Notaro also performed, and the pair were introduced by LGBT advocate and activist Feroza Syed.

» RELATED: Atlanta transgender woman turns to Facebook to dig out of her 'sunken place'

But while Sykes - a consulting producer for the now-canceled "Roseanne" reboot - had zingers for everyone from Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen to Housing Secretary Ben Carson, a rambunctious audience had to push the comic to address "Roseanne."

And when she did, she was terse and to the point: “Roseanne? The thing is I don’t have any jokes about it. She said some racist (expletive) − and I quit.”

Short as it might have been, it brought Sykes one of her loudest rounds of applause of the night.

About the Author

Ryan Stultz is the head of programming for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, overseeing the paper’s distribution, including AJC.com, newsletters, social media, print and more. He has worked in the newspaper industry for nearly 15 years as an editor and digital specialist.

More Stories

The Latest

The Rev. Thomas Oliver invented the "batwing" typewriter in the late 1800s. (Courtesy JP Schoemer)

Credit: JP Schoemer

Where can I find it?

15 family-friendly things to do in metro Atlanta this weekend

When to start planning each part of your Thanksgiving feast

Featured

Rose Scott signals as Closer Look goes on air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray / AJC file)

Credit: Ben Gray

Donor leaves WABE $3 million, largest individual gift in station’s history

An Atlanta resident has bequeathed WABE a $3 million donation, the largest one-time individual donation in the nonprofit media operation’s 76-year history.

Usher sues business partners over failed Buckhead restaurant plan

Atlanta singer Usher wants his money back after loaning $1.7 million to music producer Bryan-Michael Cox and others to buy a Buckhead restaurant property for $6.3 million.

Braves’ original ‘Freeze’ is retired. But you probably still can’t catch him.

As the Atlanta Braves prepare to find their next sprinting mascot, Nigel Talton is enjoying his new career coaching high school athletes at McEachern High.