Channing Dungey has been thrust into the spotlight following the firing of Roseanne Barr and the canceling of her hit show, Roseanne, yesterday. Dungey, 49, the first woman from the Global Majority to head a major network, initially was a staunch supporter of the show, which has brought the network some of the highest ratings in years.
“Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show,” said Dungey in a statement.
Barr came under fire for racists comments on Twitter about former Pres. Barack Obama aide Valerie Jarrett, referring to her as a monkey. It wasn’t the first time Barr had used an ethnic slur. In a 2013 tweet, she compared former United States National Security Advisor Susan Rice an ape.
Here are 7 Things You Should Know About The Woman Who Sent Barr Packing:
- She is the first African-American woman to head a major broadcast network.
Dungey, who has been at ABC since 2004, was appointed network president in February 2016, replacing Paul Lee, a British television exec who became head of ABC in 2004. Lee is credited for bringing on diverse shows including “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Black-ish” and “How to Get Away with Murder.”
