ABC will revive “Roseanne” after nearly 20 years on Monday, but the showcase of Roseanne Barr’s comedic abilities that helped her land the groundbreaking sitcom can be seen now on YouTube.
In 1985, Barr made her first appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” a huge landmark for any stand-up and an instant boost to their career. The then-relatively unknown comedian joked about her status as a “domestic goddess” (her preferred term over “housewife” and a recurring schtick), her weight (“I’m fat. Just thought I’d point that out”) and debuted her impression of Barbara Streisand (“I think she is very talented and seems like a nice person”).
The chatty, personable three-minute set was enough to impress Carson, earning Barr what was then considered the holy grail of comedy — an invitation to sit on the king-maker’s couch.
People who knew Carson and appeared during his run hosting “The Tonight Show” have since noted that being invited to sit on his couch didn’t necessarily mean the comedy legend was giving someone his endorsement. But even so, during his 30 years heading the show, Carson only invited around 6 first-time comedians to the couch after their set, and Roseanne was one of them.
Rosesanne’s set — and her invitation to the couch — also caught the eye of producers Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner, who were looking to do a comedy series about a working mother and chose Barr as the person to bring the character to life.
“Roseanne” Season 10 premieres Tuesday, March 27 at 8/7c on ABC.