Comedian Roseann Barr sat down with Israel Hayom , an Israeli national newspaper, and slammed actress Natalie Portman over her refusal to accept the Genesis Prize last year. As Portman revealed at the time, she refused the award and did not attend the ceremony because she did not want to show support for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“I am not part of the BDS movement and do not endorse it. Like many Israelis and Jews around the world, I can be critical of the leadership in Israel without wanting to boycott the entire nation. I treasure my Israeli friends and family, Israeli food, books, art, cinema, and dance,” Portman told the Times of Israel at the time, as Fox News reported.
The award, which is given out yearly to an individual that is a leader in the Jewish community who volunteers and works tirelessly against anti-semitism, is often referred to as the “Jewish Nobel Prize.” Portman received backlash for her decision in refusing the award, and several Israeli politicians spoke out about their concern over her dismissal of the honor.
Now, Roseanne Barr has piped up about the incident, calling Portman — who was born in Jerusalem — a “darling of the left,” and referring to the Black Swan actress as “repulsive.”
“It was really sickening, I find her repulsive. She was raised in incredible privilege of safety in the Jewish state and knows nothing about anti-Semitism,” Barr said.
Barr is a frequent contributor to her friend, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach’s podcast, and recently sat down to talk about her plans to visit Israel in the near future. The trip will allow Barr to learn more about Jewish history, and the country’s parliament, as NBC News revealed. She was invited to speak to the Israeli Knesset by Deputy Speaker Yehiel Bar, and she plans to speak out “against the insidious and anti-Semitic BDS movement.”
The Roseanne actress, who was recently fired from her role as the mom of the Conner clan in ABC’s reboot of the popular show, has said that she feels her dismissal from the network is due in part to her being Jewish and supports Israel.
“I feel that what happened to me, a large part of it is antisemitism,” said Barr. “I think it played a part — the fact that I was never allowed to explain what I meant — and what I meant was a commentary on Iran — so they purposely mischaracterized what I said and wouldn’t let me explain. And in haste they did something unprecedented that they’ve never done to any other artist,” Barr said, as Salon reported.
Barr was let go after firing an offensive Tweet at Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett. Following the incident, Barr sat down with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and tearfully apologized for her actions, though she had previously said she was hacked and under the influence.
“I said to God, ‘I am willing to accept whatever consequences this brings because I know I’ve done wrong. I’m going to accept what the consequences are,’ and I do, and I have,” she revealed.
