Artist Sara Radovanovitch, fiancée of Jan. 6 defendant Jay Johnston, has unveiled the third painting in her 2024 “Free Thinkers” art series.
In January, Radovanovitch launched a monthly "Free Thinkers" painting series highlighting a series of American patriots throughout the year. Profits from her art will go towards Radovanovitch's family along with assisting fiancé Johnston in his upcoming July trial date regarding his alleged involvement in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
March's Free Thinker is comedian Roseanne Barr.
The painting is available for purchase and will come with a 30" x 40" custom frame.
"I wanted Roseanne to be the first female in this series because I’ve loved her as far back as I can remember," Radovanovitch told SCNR News.
"I came from a working class family in the suburbs of Chicago, almost identical to the one portrayed on her show. Like many Americans, I felt like the show represented my family personally," she said. "Hollywood betrayed her and it made me sick. Here’s this woman who actually gives a s--- about minorities and the people who suffer the most in this country and they turn on her, destroy her life and everything she created. It was disgusting."
"When Jay was canceled, we talked a lot about Roseanne and we cheered for her comeback every step of the way," Radovanovitch continued. "His career wasn’t at the same level as hers but being a comedic actor and writer with a 30-year history in Hollywood made it more relatable. If you happen to disagree and go against the narrative, you have committed a high crime and they will make everything you’ve ever worked for vanish in an instant. But you can’t stop Roseanne, and that’s why we love her."
Radovanovitch kicked off her "Free Thinkers" series with the late conservative journalist and Breitbart News founder Andrew Breitbart.
The artist followed up her Breitbart painting with Tucker Carlson in February.
Last month, fellow J6er Adam Johnson, also known as "The Lectern Guy," donated a miniature lectern for auction to assist Johnston, Radovanovitch and their family. The miniature lectern is modeled after Pelosi’s and includes a seal featuring a silhouette of Johnson's infamous meme holding the former Speaker’s lectern with the phrase “Take a Stand.”
The auction raised a total of $561.51.
"Their story is much like others who have experienced the immense fallout from being labeled a J6er," Johnson wrote to X. "Their careers have been destroyed and their lives have forever changed."
"We’re incredibly grateful to Adam for helping us raise these much-needed funds. He found a way to take a negative experience and turn it into something positive, finding the joy and humor in everything," Radovanovitch said of the donation on behalf of the family.
Johnston's 30-year career in Hollywood abruptly came to a halt in March 2021 after the FBI shared two heavily cropped photos to X, then-Twitter, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a man present at the Capitol on Jan. 6. After being identified in the photos, Johnston was dropped by his agent and effectively blacklisted from Hollywood. In the aftermath of his identity being revealed, Johnston's family, including Radovanovitch, were subjected to harassment, stalking and personal threats.
On June 1, 2021, the FBI raided Johnston’s home and held him at gunpoint in front of his family in their yard. However, the actor was not arrested by federal authorities for his alleged involvement in the Capitol riot until two years later on June 7 last year.
"Jay’s career disappeared overnight when he was blacklisted but I was able to work for a while, then nobody would hire me anymore either, so we basically hit bottom," Radovanovitch added. "At that point, you kind of just look around and say, 'Well, now what?' So, I decided to start this painting series and Jay has been working on writing."
“Jay doesn’t have a violent bone in his body,” Johnston’s fiancée wrote in the family’s GiveSendGo campaign. “He is a wonderful father and devoted to his family, loved by his neighbors and always the first person to help others in need.”
Johnston has appeared in a series of films during his career, including Men in Black II, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. The actor also appeared in television series, including Mr. Show and The Sarah Silverman Program, and also voiced Jimmy Pesto on the long-running animated sitcom Bob’s Burgers from 2011 until 2021.
