Rosanne Barr Was ‘Scared’ of Fame, Former ‘Roseanne’ Writer Claims: ‘I Always Felt Bad for Her’

OK! Staff Wed, November 11, 2026 at 11:24 PM UTC

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Roseanne Barr was 'scared' of sudden fame, former writer Danny Jacobson claimed. BY: MEGA

Roseanne Barr may be known for her outspoken personality, but former Roseanne head writer Danny Jacobson claims the comedian was secretly “scared” of fame early in her hit ABC sitcom.

“I knew she was scared,” Jacobson said. “Who wouldn’t be? You’re working as a waitress, and next thing you know, you’re on The Tonight Show, and then you’re on the cover of every rag-mag. It can’t be easy to deal with, but the show, at the end of the day, I think everyone was proud of the work.”

Jacobson, who worked on the sitcom’s first two seasons (1988–1989), saw Barr quickly go from comedian to TV star. Despite her stage confidence, he felt she struggled with sudden fame.

Roseanne Barr Was ‘Frightened’ Behind the Scenes

Danny Jacobson said Roseanne Barr was ‘frightened’ behind the scenes of her sitcom. BY: MEGA

Reflecting on his experience working with Barr, Jacobson admitted that her offstage behavior often complicated production.

He said Barr “made everything so hard, and yet on stage, she was fantastic… [but] her offstage stuff made it hard, you know, as everyone has said… I always felt bad for her because I knew she was frightened.”

Still, the former head writer praised Barr’s performance and acknowledged the cast and crew’s accomplishments during the show’s early years.

Roseanne Barr’s Rise From Stand-Up Comedy to TV Stardom

Roseanne Barr’s former head writer admitted she ‘made everything so hard’ on set. BY: @OFFICIALROSEANNEBARR/INSTAGRAM

After starting stand-up in Colorado at 18, Barr moved to L.A. A set at the Comedy Store helped her land an appearance on Johnny Carson‘s The Tonight Show.

After early TV appearances and a winning HBO comedy special, she landed a starring role on Roseanne in 1987.

Although the sitcom marked her acting debut, Jacobson credited her co-stars with helping her develop her skills.

“She had the best acting school someone could want, which is [costars] Laurie Metcalf and John Goodman, not to mention the kids, the two daughters. And she learned fast,” he said.

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Roseanne Barr’s Offensive Tweet Leads to ABC Revival Cancelation

Roseanne Barr’s 2018 sitcom revival was canceled following her controversial tweet. BY: MEGA

Barr returned for the 2018 sitcom revival, but her comeback ended quickly after she posted a racist tweet about Barack Obama‘s former adviser, Valerie Jarrett.

The comedian compared Jarrett to “Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby.”

Although Barr deleted the post and apologized, ABC canceled the revival.

The network subsequently launched The Conners, a spinoff led by Goodman, with Barr’s character written out through an off-screen death.

Barr Returns to TV With New Sitcom ‘Meemaw’

Roseanne Barr announced her return to TV with the new sitcom ‘Meemaw.’ BY: @OFFICIALROSEANNEBARR/INSTAGRAM

Barr recently revealed plans for a new sitcom titled Meemaw, which is funded by private investors and has yet to secure a distributor.

The series follows Barr as the matriarch of a “mixed-race family of preppers in Texas” who sets out to “take down a criminal empire and throw her granddaughter the most fantastic bat mitzvah.”

The cast features Drea de Matteo (The Sopranos), Randy Quaid (Saturday Night Live), Doug Jones (What We Do in the Shadows), and Omar Gooding (Family Time), who is Cuba Gooding Jr.’s brother.

The upcoming comedy will also feature guest appearances from Jon Lovitz, Tony Hinchcliffe and Kim Congdon.

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Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”