If what doesn't kill us is making us stronger

We're gonna last longer...

I have always been a big fan of Roseanne, both the woman and the TV show. As a comedian, Roseanne was everything that other female comedians were afraid to be, herself. She laughed at herself, at her deranged family, at her weight. I never thought she was the funniest comedian, but she always held a spot in my head as one of my favorites. It was because of that fearless stage presence that she recieved a sitcom. This could mean one of two things: sell out or innovate. Unlike many comedains, with the excption of Larry David, Jerry Seinfeld, and Bill Cosby, Roseanne chose the latter. I can't say what the reaction was back when the show first came out (I wasn't even alive!), but I can say that the sitcom is now very respected for being real. The Connor's weren't the Seavers, they weren't the Clevers, and hell, they damn sure weren'tthe Bradys. They were a blue collar family with a lot of love to give.

Ever since I was little I remember watching the show, both in the new ABC episodes and the sindication on 'Nick at Nite'. Distant memories of the final episode have been in my head, ever since it was first broadcast, but I was seven then, and I can hardly remember where I lived when I was seven. Today, the sindication the Oxygen network finally had reaced that infamous final episode. I was ready for what was going to happen, but I was not ready to be so emotionally affected by a sitcom. The truley great thing about art, about writing, regardless of the medium, is the affect it can have on people. And yehh I now I sound corney, it's a freakin sitcom for Christ's sake, but someone like Roseanne conquered the art of the sitcom. They all don't have to be sappy, paper thin comedy like Friends, or light-hearted fluff like Everybody Loves Raymond. Sitcoms, even on a major network, can be meaningful. The way I see it...Roseanne, Seinfeld and All in the Family are the three most important sitcoms of all time. They all gave the audience a chance to look at themselves differently and really laugh.

That is why I love music so much, it is just another way for me to feel thing I would not necessarily feel. Someone may listen to Michael Jackson and be really affected by it. While soemone, possibly the Michael Jackson person's best friend, is really affected by Matellica. Sure, I can be pretty pretentious (you like Creed?), but never too much. Eveyone has there own thing and I understand that. Nothing is meant for everyone either. As nuts as it may seem, some people don't find Woody Allen funny (pretention lingers) and get the biggest kick out of the latest Hollywood blockbuster.

As an artist, Roseanne was able to write with the help from her friends, her family. She wasn't able to please everyone, or even make everyone laugh, but she really affected some people, on a greater level than just making them laugh for a minute. She made people think, how can we make the best out of a dead-end job?...How can I make the best out of life? The closing monologue is one of the greatest moments in TV history...


"I made a commitment to finish my story, even if I had to write in the basement, in the middle of the night, while everyone else was asleep. But, the more I wrote, the more I understood myself and why I had made the choices I made, and that was the real jackpot. I learned that dreams don’t work without action. I learned that no one can stop me, but me. I learned that love is stronger than hate. And most important, I learned that God does exist. He, and/or She, is right inside you, underneath the pain, the sorrow, and the shame. I think I’ll be a lot better now that this book is done."


Feel free to comment, telling about what art/artists affect you.