Roseanne Barr Completes New Sitcom 'Meemaw,' Her First TV Project Since 2018 Firing

Comedian and actress Roseanne Barr, 73, has completed production on a new sitcom titled "Meemaw," marking her first scripted television comeback since she was removed from the "Roseanne" revival in 2018. The eight-episode comedy was funded by private investors and shot independently, without backing from a major studio or network, according to Yahoo Entertainment and Consequence.

What is 'Meemaw' about?

The series follows Barr as the matriarch of what Yahoo Entertainment and Consequence describe as a mixed-race family of preppers in Texas. The plot centers on her character's effort to dismantle a criminal organization while also trying to organize an elaborate bat mitzvah for her granddaughter, billed as one of the most lavish the state has seen. Both outlets report the show is semi-autobiographical, portraying a woman from a liberal East Coast Jewish family who is disinherited and relocates to Texas.

Cast and production

Filming took place in Austin, Texas, and production has wrapped, according to Yahoo Entertainment. The cast includes Randy Quaid, Drea de Matteo, Omar Gooding, Doug Jones, Jon Lovitz, Tony Hinchcliffe and Kim Congdon, with young actress Indy Bugg playing Barr's granddaughter, per Yahoo Entertainment.

• Roseanne Barr — lead, as the title character "Meemaw"
• Randy Quaid
• Drea de Matteo
• Omar Gooding
• Doug Jones
• Jon Lovitz
• Tony Hinchcliffe
• Kim Congdon
• Indy Bugg — plays Barr's granddaughter

As of the reporting, "Meemaw" has no distributor. Yahoo Entertainment and Consequence both note that Barr financed the project through private investors rather than securing a deal with a streaming service or network beforehand, and that none has been announced.

John Goodman and former castmates

Barr told Yahoo Entertainment that she tried to bring her former "Roseanne" co-star John Goodman into the new project. She said her son called Goodman to ask him to do a cameo on "Meemaw," and he declined. Asked how she gets along today with Goodman and another former co-star, Laurie Metcalf, Barr said she is no longer in touch with either of them, adding that she had expected to remain close to them.

Why Barr left 'Roseanne' in 2018

The original "Roseanne" revival on ABC was the top-rated primetime sitcom at the time, according to Fox News. Barr was fired after posting a tweet about Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to President Obama. Barr told Fox News she disputes that the post was racist, saying it was aimed at political concerns rather than race. ABC canceled her character but continued the series as "The Conners" for seven seasons.

According to Barr's account to Fox News, ABC required her to give up her rights to continue the show without her, warning that crew members would otherwise lose their jobs, and she says she was told this would protect her reputation. She told Fox News she was never compensated for "The Conners." Fox News presents this as Barr's characterization of events; ABC's side was not included in the cited reporting.

Barr also said she reached out to Elon Musk — about the new project, according to Yahoo Entertainment, and about her 2018 firing, according to Consequence — and that he has not responded to her.

What Barr says about the new show

Barr described "Meemaw" to Consequence as being as significant as the original Roseanne Show. She told Yahoo Entertainment she hopes the series can bridge political divides within families, saying she wants relatives who disagree politically to be able to sit together, laugh, and recognize they are all flawed. She added to Yahoo Entertainment that she included jokes aimed at her own politically progressive daughters, as she did on the original "Roseanne."