'The Conners' Stars Hit With Pay Cut Drama Amid Poor Ratings

John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf have learned Roseanne Barr's absence could have a dramatic effect on their wallets!

The Straight Shuter podcast reports The Conners is already in trouble without controversial comedian Barr around. Ratings are decreasing every week, and the stars' paychecks might soon follow suit.

With the sitcom's ratings dropping to 7 million, John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf "are too expensive to keep around," a source told Straight Shuter. "They both earn $375,000 an episode, a number that was negotiated before the Roseanne scandal."

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While an insider close to the series denies the stars are getting their pay slashed, the source noted, "Now that the audience has disappeared along with the star, the only way to keep the show profitable is to ask both John and Laurie to take a pay cut."

But a decrease in the pair's check sizes may not be enough to increase the chances the show will survive.

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According to the source, ABC has ordered only one extra episode to be added to the 10 it already contracted for this season — well below the 22 episodes that would been needed for The Conners to make it through the end of the current TV season.

"The writing is already on the wall," said a TV insider.