Roseanne cuts loose in House of Blues show

Monday, Oct. 4, 2004 | 8:30 a.m.

While the heavy-set (though less heavy than in past years) comedienne may be less vulgar than when she began her career in the early '80s, she is no less caustic in her wit -- assailing everyone from God to herself, homosexuals, the rich and political systems.

"I see many fat people here tonight," Roseanne said during her monologue at the House of Blues on Friday. "I love fat people. I am their queen."

Roseanne's dysfunctional life has been fodder for the tabloids for years.

Even her name has given her fits -- in the beginning she was known as Roseanne Barr, then Roseanne Arnold, then Roseanne Thomas, back to Barr, then to just Roseanne and now back to Barr again.

"I say I'm never going to get married again, but you never know," she told the packed house. "I've been thinking about taking out a personal ad -- 'Shy but assertive woman ... a perfect combination of insecurity and oral fixation.' "

Roseanne took the stage wearing Blues Brothers attire -- black suit, hat and shades.

"What a privilege it is to have me here with you," she said.

Throughout the evening she jumped from topic to topic, as still pictures flashed on a screen behind her to enhance her jokes.

On homosexuals: "If it weren't for gays, us fat women wouldn't have anyone to dance with."

"I performed recently on a gay cruise," she said. "It's the final whistle stop on the obliviion express."

Roseanne often talked about her personal life.

"When I was a little girl I wanted to be a widow when I grew up," she said. "Both my grandmothers were widows, and they were the happiest women I knew."

She was born in Salt Lake City.

"I'm from Salt Lake City, but I'm Jewish," Roseanne said, "which explains a lot about me."

She has been through years of psychotherapy, she says, and has resolved most of her issues.

"I've discovered that my mental disorder was what made me interesting to be with," she said.

Roseanne discussed some of the activities she has been involved with lately.

"I was busy with a reality show," she said, "but I discovered fake reality sucks, too."

The show followed her as she got out of bed, exercised and got dressed.

"It was all fake," she said.

In real life, she said she lounged around all day "counting my moles, comparing them with the cancerous ones.

"And filing lawsuits."

And watching a lot of television.

"I really like the Scott Peterson Show," she said. "It reminds me of the O.J. Simpson Show. I was really bummed when they canceled the Kobe Bryant Show.

"I like to watch the Hitler Channel, all Hitler, 24/7."

She thought the life of Anne Frank was great.

"She had it pretty good," Roseanne said. "She never had to go anyplace, and her parents had to keep their mouths shut all day."

Roseanne's observational humor is sometimes tasteless, sometimes over the top and often very political. Example: The federal government has been focusing on Janet Jackson baring her breast during last year's Super Bowl "to keep us unaware of what is really going on in this country -- with the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer."

While there were few belly laughs during her performance, there was enough humor to satisfy any Roseanne fan.