Roseanne Barr posted a video in which she claimed in a spoof that President Joe Biden had raped her, mocking a sex assault lawsuit faced by former President Donald Trump. This sparked outrage online, with many calling her behavior vile and unacceptable. The sketch was a clear spoof of E. Jean Carroll’s sex attack allegations against Trump, for which he was found substantially liable. Barr stated in the footage that 26 years ago, Biden had raped her in a department store dressing room, and said she needed to sue. She shared the video with hashtags #believeallwomen and others, then contacted representatives of Biden, Carroll, Trump, and herself for comment.
Carroll, an 80-year-old former Elle columnist, sued Trump for battery and defamation over allegations that he raped her in a dressing room at a New York City department store in the 1990s. Trump has been found civilly liable for sexually abusing Carroll but not for rape, and was ordered to pay her $5 million in damages. He later made derogatory comments about Carroll at a CNN town hall. Trump countersued Carroll on the basis that the jury’s decision was false. However, the counterclaim was dismissed by Judge Lewis Kaplan, who affirmed the substantial truth of Carroll’s allegations. Barr’s video mocking the situation led to widespread condemnation on social media.
The video posted by Barr sparked outrage among X users, with many criticizing her for making light of sexual assault. Some comments called her behavior despicable and offensive. Barr, who is a Trump supporter, defended herself, stating that she was targeting Carroll and not victims of sexual assault. However, the backlash against her continued, with many prominent X users expressing their disapproval of her actions. Singer-songwriter Ricky Davila called Barr a disgusting and deranged individual, while others labeled her as a sick scumbag and the lowest of the low.
Despite the criticism, Barr also received support for her post from some X users who perceived it as a joke and an attack on the left. They praised her for triggering liberals and exposing what they felt was the ridiculous case against Trump. Barr became a trending topic on X as users shared their opinions on the video. The comedian defended her post, stating that art should be dangerous and thought-provoking, especially under a fascist establishment. Barr previously faced backlash for a controversial tweet in 2018 that led to her dismissal from her show “Roseanne,” but she returned to the spotlight with a stand-up special and continues to share her political views publicly.
