Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY
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PEOPLE & ARTS A29
Friday 23 March 2018
'Roseanne' revival aims to keep it real, Trump included
By LYNN ELBER In this image released by ABC, Roseanne Barr, left, and John Goodman appear in a scene from current din from social me-
AP Television Writer the reboot of "Roseanne," premiering on Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST. dia and cable news shows.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rose- During a Q&A with TV crit-
anne Barr looks more glam- Associated Press ics in January, Barr initially
orous, John Goodman slim- ducked a question about
mer. But the mass-market "It's shocking that 'Rose- group of voters who were in one scene. "I know this whether her own politics
plaid couch is a giveaway anne' was never even frustrated with the status may come as a shock to — she supported Trump —
that ABC's "Roseanne" re- nominated for best come- quo" and being sidelined you, but we almost lost our influenced her character's.
vival hasn't ditched its roots. dy series at the Emmys de- by the economy, Werner house because of the way "Go ahead, Bruce," she
The blue-collar Conner spite winning the Golden said. "What we're interested things were going." said, inviting series produc-
family and the times in Globe for best comedy, a in doing is just telling honest "Have you looked at the er Bruce Helford to answer.
which they live are at the Peabody and being in the stories about a family that's news? Because now things But the usually forthright
heart of the sitcom debut- top 10 Nielsen ratings year up against it." are worse," Jackie retorts. Barr, also a writer and pro-
ing at 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, after year," said Tom O'Neil, In "Roseanne," it's up to ma- "Not on the real news," says ducer on the show, finally
as they were for the hit author of "The Emmys" and triarch Roseanne, a sup- Roseanne. dived in.
1988-97 sitcom inspired by editor of the Gold Derby porter of President Donald Sisterly love defuses the ten- "I have always attempted
Barr's stand-up comedy. awards website. Trump, and her sister, Jack- sion, with punchlines aimed to portray a realistic por-
The prospect of updating But the show's perspective ie (Metcalf), a hard-core at doing the same for view- trait of the American peo-
"Roseanne" was exciting may carry more weight to- opponent, to handle the ers. Whether a sitcom can ple and of working-class
"as long as we were permit- day. political jousting. double as meeting ground people. ... And, in fact, it
ted to tell relevant and au- The 2016 presidential cam- "He talked about jobs" for a divided nation, as "All was working-class people
thentic stories" about work- paign "was a wake-up call and shaking things up, in the Family" once did, re- who elected Trump. So I
ing-class characters, said in that there were a large Roseanne says of Trump mains to be seen given the felt that was very real, and
Tom Werner, a producer for something that needed to
both shows. be discussed," Barr said.
That focus, noteworthy in The same holds true for
the '80s when the show "people actually hating
entered a relatively small other people for the way
TV universe, is still rare de- they voted, which I feel
spite the swarm of broad- is not American. And so I
cast, cable and streaming wanted to bring it (the se-
shows. ries) right down the middle,
Profitability aside, the indus- and we did," said Barr. She
try has scant artistic regard added that she's not an
for such fare. "Roseanne" apologist for the president
failed to earn a best sitcom and doesn't agree with all
Emmy in its long run, join- he's said and done, includ-
ing snubbed shows about ing some "crazy" things.
the non-affluent includ- “I appreciate the micro-
ing "Married with Children" scope which the show is
and "The Middle." (Barr and under, but I’d rather see
"Roseanne" co-star Laurie John Goodman in these
Metcalf received acting episodes than not,” he said.
trophies.) q
Jim Parsons says he's fortunate
to have worked with Hawking
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jim come play with us group of it's neat intellectually, but Jim Parsons, a cast member in the television series "The Big Bang
Parsons cherished the op- monkeys for a couple days emotionally all I can think of Theory," poses during the 35th annual PaleyFest at the Dolby
portunity to work with Ste- was really moving," said is 'I want to get out of here Theatre on Wednesday, March 21, 2018, in Los Angeles.
phen Hawking, but admit- Parson. before I embarrass myself,'"
ted he was a bit intimidated "It was just, it was an amaz- Parsons said. Associated Press
to meet the celebrated ing experience. It was an Hawking, who died March
theoretical physicist. intimidating one. 14 at age 76, became the was on the show six years nate can you get?" said
Hawking or his voice ap- I'd be lying if I said I was public face of science ge- ago and it was hard to be- "Big Bang" executive pro-
peared in seven episodes comfortable. ... To get to nius. He also appeared on lieve this is really happen- ducer Chuck Lorre.
of Parsons' hit series "The Big finally meet him was, it was "Star Trek: The Next Genera- ing, you know? We were The "Big Bang" cast came
Bang Theory." just overwhelming," he con- tion" and voiced himself in really lucky. We got to work together Wednesday for
"So much of our show is re- tinued. "And it's one of the "The Simpsons." and spend time with Ste- PaleyFest, the annual
lated, based on, adjacent things that's kind of bitter- "His willingness to be part phen Hawking. I mean how television festival in Los
to everything that Stephen sweet in a way because of our world, to come blessed is that? How fortu- Angeles.q
Hawking did, strove to do, once he's passed now and and be part of our show,
thought about, was pas- now we're talking about was an extraordinary ac-
sionate about through his him, it really hammers knowledgement ... it felt
entire life and career. The home how fortunate I was like maybe we were doing
fact that he knew of our to get to be with him. something worthwhile that
show, was interested in "At the time, it was just he would agree to par-
being on it, was willing to like this is neat and I know ticipate, you know? He first
