Roseanne Barr Says She's Not in Touch With John Goodman or Laurie Metcalf
Roseanne Barr says the TV family that made her a household name is no longer part of her life. The comedian revealed she is not in touch with her former "Roseanne" co-stars John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf, and that Goodman turned down a chance to appear on her new show.
In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Barr was asked how she gets along with her former castmates. "I don't," she said. Asked whether she was in contact with them at all, she answered, "Of course not," AOL reported.
"I Did Too"
When the interviewer said they had assumed the cast was like a family, Barr replied, "I did too." She declined to say more.
She did add that the split has been painful. "Nobody is more brokenhearted than me," Barr said. "I just choose to remember the fun and the good times."
Goodman Said No to a Cameo
Barr also revealed that her son reached out to Goodman, who played her on-screen husband, Dan Conner, about appearing on her new sitcom.
"My son called Goodman and asked him to do a cameo on 'Meemaw,' and he declined," Barr said, according to Parade.
Goodman has said the two have not spoken in years. "We haven't talked for about seven or eight years," he said in his own interview with The Hollywood Reporter, adding that he doubted Barr wanted to talk to him.
Metcalf, who played Roseanne's sister, Jackie, has not publicly commented on Barr's remarks.
What Is "Meemaw"?
Barr's new project is called "Meemaw: A Modern Day Fable." It is a single-camera sitcom that she paid for herself and that is inspired by her life in Texas.
In the show, Barr plays the matriarch of a mixed-race family of preppers who gets into trouble while trying to raise money for her granddaughter's bat mitzvah. She described her character as "a really wacky old lady."
The cast includes Drea de Matteo as Barr's daughter, Omar Gooding as her son-in-law and Randy Quaid as her love interest. De Matteo is best known for her role on "The Sopranos," while Quaid is known for comedies like "National Lampoon's Vacation."
The show has been filmed, but it does not have a home yet. Barr is still looking for a network or streaming service to distribute it. She said she has even tried to get Elon Musk's attention about the project. "I don't know why he hasn't called me or returned my calls," she said.
How the "Roseanne" Family Fell Apart
"Roseanne" first aired on ABC for nine seasons, from 1988 to 1997. It returned for a 10th season in 2018.
But ABC canceled the revival later that year after Barr posted a tweet comparing former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to an ape. ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey called the tweet "abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values."
The show carried on without Barr as "The Conners," with Goodman leading the cast and Metcalf and much of the original cast returning. It ran for seven seasons. In the spinoff, Barr's character, Roseanne Conner, was written off the show.
Barr's relationship with other castmates has also soured. Michael Fishman, who played D.J. Conner, recently said the show was "rightfully canceled" over her tweet. Barr fired back, calling him a "bigot" and an "ignoramus," TMZ reported.
When the interviewer brought up the feud and called it "very hard to watch," Barr repeated that she prefers to focus on happier memories.
For now, Barr is focused on finding a home for "Meemaw." She has not announced a premiere date or said whether any other former "Roseanne" cast members could appear.
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