LOS ANGELES — Roseanne Barr was under attack at the Hollywood Palladium, and the capacity audience was enjoying every minute.
The occasion was the Comedy Central Roast of the comedian in 2012, long before the ignominious conclusion of her network comeback. The event, taped for a special, was part of Barr's return to Hollywood's embrace more than a decade after her top-rated sitcom "Roseanne" came to the end of its original run. A celebration of her 60th birthday, the roast, along with a potential NBC project and a surprise run for president of the United States, was part of her strategy to reverse her reputation for being difficult and regain the spotlight once more.
Carrie Fisher, Ellen Barkin, Seth Green, Katey Sagal, Wayne Brady and a fledgling comic named Amy Schumer were among the roasters. They paid tribute to Barr — who was at that time going by her first name, Roseanne — with raw, brutal insults flavored with coarse language. Even ex-spouse Tom Arnold showed up to pay his respects.
