Roseanne Barr eyes TV comeback with new comedy series inspired by her life

Roseanne Barr, the 72-year-old comedian and actress, is ready to return to television with a new comedy series she has co-written with Roseanne producer Allan Stephan. Fired from her titular ABC sitcom in 2018, Barr is now looking to make a bold comeback with a show that combines elements of The Roseanne Show and The Sopranos.
In an interview with Variety, Barr revealed that the project will consist of four to six episodes and focus on an Alabama farmer who “saves the United States from drug gangs and China,” despite also growing and selling drugs like cannabis and psychedelic mushrooms. Barr described the show as “silly and out there,” warning it will feature “very offensive ideas and a lot of swearing.”
Drawing from her real life, Barr explained, “I live with my daughter and her husband and their six children on a farm. And they have goats running through their house and stuff. It’s based on my life as a farmer in Hawaii.” She added that the show’s family will have similarities to the Conners from Roseanne. “They save America with guns, the Bible, petty crime, and alcoholism. It’s kind of like the Coen brothers’ thing,” Barr said of the show’s tone.
Barr’s career faced a major setback in 2018 when she was fired from Roseanne after posting a tweet comparing Valerie Jarrett, a former advisor to President Barack Obama, to an “ape.” The tweet sparked outrage, and ABC swiftly canceled the show, later reviving it as The Conners without her involvement. Barr has since claimed she didn’t know Jarrett was Black and blamed the incident on being under the influence of Ambien at the time of the tweet.
While details about the release or network of her new series remain under wraps, Barr’s return to the screen promises to be as provocative and unconventional as ever, with a storyline rooted in her unique experiences and perspective.