Was Roseanne a forebearer for the current Blue-Collar Comedy craze?
I think so. We broke through some barriers for our time. We tried to show a real working-class family plowing through their daily grind and tackling or being tackled by some controversial issues and challenges in the process. When you talk about forebearers I also think you have to give a nod to shows like All in the Family and even go back to TV pioneers like Jackie Gleason. Funny, frustrated working stiffs have always been a tradition in comedy. We didn't invent the wheel but I do think we were something special.
What aspects of your upcoming performance here will surprise fans who may only know you from the sitcom?
You mean besides the full frontal nudity? Seriously, I get a little fired up and drop the F-word, for example, with some regularity. Plus, I have a, shall we say, revealing finale? It's not as if Roseanne Connor was a soft-spoken powder puff or anything, but there were restrictions on network TV that we don't have in this live format. With my standup I can play a little tougher brand of hardball when I want to. Did you like that sports analogy?
What are some career highlights thus far? Anything you would have done differently?
Well, the longevity of the appeal of the Roseanne show is my biggest accomplishment, I'd say. Would I have done anything differently, career-wise? I can think of a particular song I would have started in a lower key.
Magazine Rack |
Mid-February means one thing: the arrival of three magazine institutions—Vanity Fair's Hollywood special, The New Yorker's anniversary issue and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. How do they compare?
VANITY FAIR | SPORTS ILLUSTRATED | NEW YORKER | |
SEXINESS QUOTIENT | Pix of Scarlett Johansson's bum, Kiera Knightley's bare thighs | Numerous photos of supermodels in sheer bikinis, cupping breasts | Small dot representing cartoon nipple on Page 178 |
EXAMPLE OF PENETRATING SOCIO-POLITICAL INSIGHT | "Presdient Bush loves to get duded up and play GI George." | "I find my models come to the table really excited by the whole process." | "'War on Terror' has always been problematic, at both ends." |
ADS THAT INDICATE TARGET AUDIENCE | Dior, Armani, Gucci ... featuring impossibly attractive young people | Are there ads? Didn't notice amid all the supermodels cupping breasts | "Deluxe Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles"! |