Fact Check: Did Fox News Sign $1B Contract with Roseanne Barr for Show To Rival 'The View'?
Claim:
Fox News signed a $1 billion contract with Roseanne Barr to host a rival television show to "The View."
Rating:
On Nov. 5, 2023, SpaceXMania published an article positing that Roseanne Barr, controversial comedian, actress, and podcast host, had signed a $1 billion contract with Fox News to host a show that would rival ABC's "The View." The article claimed that given Fox News' conservative content, the decision to bring Barr "into the fold is emblematic of their commitment to diversifying their content and expanding their reach to a broader demographic." The article began:
Breaking: Fox News Signs $1 Billion Contract with Roseanne Barr for a Show Opposite ABC’s The View
In a seismic shakeup of the media landscape, Fox News has announced a monumental contract with comedian and actress Roseanne Barr. The network, known for its conservative-leaning programming, has inked a deal worth a staggering $1 billion for Barr to host a new show that’s set to rival ABC’s “The View.”
This claim was not a factual recounting of real-life events; Roseanne Barr never signed such a contract with Fox News. The article originated with a website that describes its output as being humorous or satirical in nature, as follows:
Please note that the article under the category “SATIRE” are satirical in nature and are not meant to be taken seriously. These articles are meant to be humorous and are often entirely made up. We make no claim that the information presented in these articles is true or accurate.
Readers should exercise caution and use their own judgment when reading and interpreting our satirical articles. We take no responsibility for any actions taken based on the content of these articles.
SpaceXMania also posted the claim on its Facebook account, receiving 27,000 likes and 2,700 comments as of this writing. Comments consisted of overwhelming support, with one user writing: "This is awesome. Finally a choice OTHER than the view that is actually worth watching. Love Rosanne!"
Although Barr has previously identified with the Democratic party as well as the Green party and the Peace and Freedom party, she expressed support for former President Donald Trump in 2016.
We've previously addressed rumors (some founded) surrounding Barr, such as whether she was offered a White House position, whether Michelle Obama told ABC to fire her, and whether she posed as Hitler for a satire publication.
For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.
Sources:
Breaking: Fox News Signs $1 Billion Contract with Roseanne Barr for a Show Opposite ABC’s The View. 5 Nov. 2023, https://spacexmania.com/breaking-fox-news-signs-1-billion-contract-with-roseanne-barr-for-a-show-opposite-abcs-the-view/.
Evon, Dan. ‘Did Roseanne Barr Pose as Adolf Hitler for a Magazine Photo Shoot?’ Snopes, 29 Mar. 2018, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/did-roseanne-pose-as-adolf-hitler-photo-shoot/.
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/SpaceXElon/posts/pfbid02hf6TWKUzwybTwg7a4QWak5KBfBnVxHKCnFiBJ4NzGc28zwWJT2ndJasPnMx3HGhkl. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023.
James, Emily St. ‘Roseanne Barr Attempts to Explain Both Her — and Her Character’s — Trump Support. Sort Of.’ Vox, 8 Jan. 2018, https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/1/8/16866628/roseanne-new-season-trump.
LaCapria, Kim. ‘Did Michelle Obama Tell ABC to Fire Roseanne Barr?’ Snopes, 1 June 2018, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/did-michelle-obama-abc-fire-roseanne/.
Roseanne Barr: Peace and Freedom Party Presidential Candidate - Los Angeles Times. 6 Nov. 2023, http://web.archive.org/web/20231106183047/https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2012-aug-02-la-roseanne-barr-peace-and-freedom-party-candidate-20120802-story.html.
Roseanne Barr Wants Green Party Presidential Nomination | Reuters. 6 Nov. 2023, http://web.archive.org/web/20231106182508/https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS62365029920120203.
‘Roseanne Barr’. Wikipedia, 8 Oct. 2023. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roseanne_Barr&oldid=1179116257.
Staff, Snopes. ‘Did Sarah Sanders Offer Roseanne Barr a White House Job?’ Snopes, 30 May 2018, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/sarah-sanders-roseanne-barr-job/.
Twitter, et al. ‘Roseanne Barr: Peace and Freedom Party Presidential Candidate’. Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2012, https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2012-aug-02-la-roseanne-barr-peace-and-freedom-party-candidate-20120802-story.html.