Roseanne’s big break came when she was asked to appear at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles in the 1980s. That led to her booking in 1985 on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, whose imprimatur sent Roseanne’s rocket ship into orbit. She landed an 18-city tour with singer Julio Iglesias, TV commercials, a comedy album, and HBO specials. Those led to her smash television show, Roseanne, which would run from 1988 to 1997, with stellar ratings.
Ms. Barr’s compelling description of the behind-the-scenes intrigue and warped personalities that populate Hollywood. Her characterization of the professional, Harvard-educated elitist writers and producers she worked with on the show, who sought to control her, and their complete disdain for their middle America viewing audience, is eye-opening.