ENGLISH LIT 344 / COMEDY & SATIRE

Who's Who in American Comedy

Roseanne Barr

Barr started in the 1980's doing stand-up comedy, talking about her life as a working-class housewife. referring to herself as a "domestic goddess" she soon headlined and appeared on talk shows, which led to having her own sit-com. She also made films and did some radio work. She may be best know for a controversial rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" she delivered before a baseball game.

Here she is in her first national television appearance on the Tonight Show. (Compare her style of delivery to that of Judy Tenuta. Also, check out the film 'Punch Line' which is loosely based on her life.)

[For more details on these people, check their listing in Wikipedia, but note--this is one of the rare times I can accept the use of Wikipedia as a source. I have found that most of the information there about these people is reliable.]