Brittani’s Team Pick: Roseanne Writes about Sexism in Hollywood

Half the people in Hollywood are mad at Roseanne and the other half only like her because they think she threatened her staff with scissors, because she did.
See — with all the hubbub about Bridesmaids and where women really stand in the television/movie/life industry, I thought it was particularly baller of Roseanne Barr to write this thing for New York Magazine called And I Should Know.
She rips the braggadocio of Hollywood a new one and recounts some of her run-ins with sexism in the industry while creating what she calls the first (and only) feminist and working-class-family sitcom. This is special to me because where most people will simply acknowledge that sexism happens, she gives you an honest play-by-play that doesn’t save her from…well, herself.
Most of the stories she tells center around her show, Roseanne. Growing up I was all about sneaking to watch South Park and whatever was coming on MTV after my bedtime. When I wasn’t doing that, I was locked onto Nick at Nite. Happy Days, Wonder Years, and Roseanne were my jams. Please tell me in the comments that you were on the 80’s sitcom train as well as I am potentially concerned about my ten year old self.
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Brittani

Brittani Nichols is a Los Angeles based comedy person. When she's not tweeting about white people or watching television, she's probably eating pizza. Actually, she's probably doing all three of those things concurrently and when she's not doing THAT, she's sleeping. Brittani also went to Yale and feels weird about mentioning it but wants you to know.

Brittani has written 328 articles for us.

14 Comments

  1. I remember having darlene gaydar when i was like 8 while playing Pokemon red. Shoulda known…shoulda known.

  2. Excellent article. I vaguely remember not liking Roseanne that much when I watched it as a youngun, but this makes me want to rewatch. Now that I could actually appreciate things like grownup humor and class/gender dynamics and gaytastic flannel.

  3. Roseanne and Wonder Years were what I watched (and Law and Order if my mom forgot I was still awake)

  4. roseanne is a total badass and this article proves it. it also reminds me why i stopped watching tv a long time ago.

  5. thank you for making me read this, it was awesome
    roseanne was like the only sitcom my mom let us watch, ever

  6. Goddess bless Rosanne Barr and Roseanne Connor. Two of the baddest ass bitches in entertainment to this very day.

  7. Thanks for picking this. I loved Roseanne so much. I’m with you on the old school Nick at Nite too.

  8. I looooved Roseanne! I vividly remember THE KISS episode too, and it was totally mediocre!!

    I love that she doesn’t dye her hair. It looks wicked!

  9. I loved Roseanne. Mostly, I loved her daughter. Hello angst and flannel and converse. Yay.

  10. I loved watching Roseanne because her family reminded me of my family. My mom has the same sarcastic, takes no shit attitude as Roseanne.

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