Roseanne was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to a working-class, Jewish family and was the eldest of four children. Her career as a standup comic began in Colorado in the 1980s. In 1985, Roseanne’s enthralling performance as a stand-up comedian on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson cast her into the national spotlight.
In 1987, HBO offered her a show of her own, On Location: The Roseanne Barr Show. The next year Roseanne debuted and ran for 9 seasons on ABC, co-starring John Goodman. It dealt with real-life issues in a lower middle-class working family. During its first season on ABC, it soared to #2 in the ratings. Following her time on television, Roseanne expanded her career into film, Broadway, and became a bestselling author, showcasing the same bold, distinctive style that made her a household name.
She has won both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her work on Roseanne. In addition, she has won six People's Choice Awards, three American Comedy Awards, a Kids Choice Award, a GLAAD Media Award, and the TV Land Innovator Award.
Always outspoken, Roseanne began commenting on politics in earnest in the 2000s, and unsuccessfully ran for the Green Party's presidential nomination in 2012. Throughout her career, and even before her fame, she has been an outspoken champion for women, the working class, and victims of sexual abuse.