Shannon Philpott

A Little Roseanne in All of Us

There was something oddly refreshing about watching the TV show Roseanne when it was in its prime. I was in my early 20s when it gained popularity and I remember not only laughing with the TV family but also laughing at my own family in comparison.

 From unemployment and dysfunctional relationships to dreams of escaping a “lower class” lifestyle, the show publicized the worst traits of the American family that no one had the guts to admit. We laughed at Roseanne on the outside and we laughed with Roseanne on the inside.

 We all have Roseanne moments whether we want to admit it or not. Most of us have had to eat leftover meatloaf for nights on end when money was tight. We’ve driven broken down cars because we had no other means. We’ve ventured into our own business of some sort only to see it fail. We’ve all dreamed of winning the lottery, and just as the last season proved, it is just that – a dream.

 However, those Rosanne moments are not always about being down on our luck. Just as the Connors found humor in their struggles, so must we. We should smile at the fact that we see ourselves in every character from the show.

 My own family resembles many of the characters (more so in demeanor than anything else). We laugh together, we cry together, we fight for each other, and we fight with each other. We have open door policies and venture into each other’s lives at all times.

 Whether we admit it or not, we all have mothers, as Roseanne did, that drive us crazy at times and come to our rescue when we need it the most. There is an Arnie, Crystal, David, and DJ among us. And, at one time or another, we are the neighbors that others dread.

 I’m deemed as the Aunt Jackie – the one who constantly calls on her brother-in-law to save the day when the furnace breaks, when the house is falling apart, and when my car needs new windshield wipers. My younger sister is clearly the Darlene of the group – the creative artist who fought like hell to get out of the Midwest. I’ll spare the rest of my family with comparisons, but you know who you are.

 The reality is that while Roseanne was easy to watch, the life this TV family led was not. And while we had no trouble whatsoever giggling at the catastrophes of the Connor family each week, we struggle to find the humor in our own catastrophic lives. Just face it: there is a little bit of Roseanne in all of us – find it, laugh about it, and move on to the next sitcom.

- Shannon Philpott
Blog Entry: Dec. 17, 2009

 © Shannon Philpott, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Shannon Philpott and shannonphilpott.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

December 17, 2009 - Posted by sphilpott | Blog, Reflecting | 90s TV shows, dysfunctional family, finding hope in other's failures, lower class lifestyle, Roseanne Barr, Roseanne Connor, Roseanne sitcom