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Jerry Seinfeld says he 'didn't see why it was necessary' to fire Roseanne Barr

The comedian weighed in on the "Roseanne" firestorm during a recent interview.
/ Source: TODAY

Jerry Seinfeld is weighing in on the cancellation of the "Roseanne" revival — and he's got little sympathy for the show's star, Roseanne Barr.

"I didn't see why it was necessary to fire her," the 64-year-old funnyman said during an interview with Entertainment Tonight. "Why would you murder someone who's committing suicide?"

Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr, Roseanne
Jerry Seinfeld says ABC should have kept "Roseanne" on the air - with a new comedian in the role of family patriarch Roseanne Conner.Rob Kim/Mario Anzuoni

Referring to the racist tweet Barr shared that prompted ABC to cancel the sitcom, Seinfeld added, "But I never saw someone ruin their entire career with one button push. That was fresh."

The "Seinfeld" alum also offered a controversial casting suggestion for ABC's newly-announced "Roseanne" spinoff.

"I think they should get another Roseanne," the comedian shared. "They brought Dan Conner back; he was dead and they brought him back. So, why can't we get another Roseanne? There's other funny women that could do that part. You need to get the comic in there. I hate to see a comic lose a job."

ABC axed the hit "Roseanne" reboot on May 29 after Barr tweeted that Valerie Jarrett, a top aide in the Obama administration, was the offspring of the "Muslim Brotherhood & 'Planet of the Apes.'"

Last week, the network revealed it had given the green light to "The Conners," a "Roseanne" spinoff minus Barr, whose life and comedy inspired the original series. The new take on the classic sitcom will feature stars John Goodman (Dan), Laurie Metcalf (Jackie), Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Lecy Goranson (Becky) and Michael Fishman (D.J.), and will air in the show's old time slot beginning next fall.

During an interview on Rabbi Shmuley Boteach's podcast this week, Barr revealed she felt "horrible regret" over the cancellation of "Roseanne" and said her now-deleted tweet was misunderstood.

"It's really hard to say this but, I didn't mean what they think I meant,'' Barr said. "And that's what's so painful. But I have to face that it hurt people. When you hurt people, even unwittingly, there's no excuse."