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John Goodman weighs in on 'Roseanne' cancellation amid speculation on show's future

Roseanne Barr, for her part, has lamented that her on-screen husband lost his job.
Image: John Goodman and Roseanne Barr
John Goodman and Roseanne Barr at the premiere of "Roseanne" on March 23 in Burbank, California.Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images file

Roseanne Barr, true to form, has not shied away from the spotlight even after the abrupt cancellation of her hit ABC sitcom, treating her more than 800,000 Twitter followers to a string of apologies and defiant provocations.

But her small-screen husband, on the other hand, has remained largely tight-lipped about the end of "Roseanne." John Goodman told an "Entertainment Tonight" videographer on Wednesday that he would "rather say nothing than to cause more trouble."

The actor suggested that he would like to move past the swirl of controversy, claiming that he had not even followed news coverage of the racist tweet that prompted ABC to ax the "Roseanne" reboot.

"I wasn't going to get an Emmy anyway," Goodman said with a shrug. "I've been up there 12 times already, and if I didn't get one, I'm not going to get one." (Goodman has actually been nominated for 11 Emmy awards, including six nods for his role as Dan Conner on the original run of "Roseanne.")

Goodman's comments come amid a flurry of speculation over whether "Roseanne," or some modified version of the show, could carry on without its titular star.

Variety, citing multiple sources close to the situation, reported on Thursday that there have been preliminary discussions among producers about ways to keep the ensemble together without Barr. Three key producers, including co-star Sara Gilbert, could meet with ABC executives as soon as Friday, according to Variety.

NBC News has not independently confirmed that report. Goodman, for his part, told the "Entertainment Tonight" videographer that he did not know anything about plans to salvage the series.

"You've heard more than I have," said Goodman, 65.

In a tweet on Wednesday night, Barr praised Goodman and another co-star, Laurie Metcalf, for their work on the show — and struck a note of regret.

Barr has also apologized to the crew members who lost their jobs after her incendiary tweet, in which she referred to Valerie Jarrett, a former senior adviser to Barack Obama, as a "child" of the Muslim Brotherhood and "Planet of the Apes."