Roseanne Barr ‘Fell In Love’ With Her Partner Over 20 Years Ago & Believes It’s ‘Good To Be Old’

Apr 18, 2023

Roseanne Barr is an American comedian and actress who is best known for her self-titled television series “Roseanne.” Barr won an Emmy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress for her performance on the show. She began her career as a stand-up comedian in 1980 after already living as a full-time wife and mother. She drew on this experience for her comedy act, coining the phrase “domestic goddess” to refer to homemakers.  

In 1985, Barr appeared on “The Tonight Show” for a stand-up comedy bit and quickly gained popularity. This led to her own HBO special called “The Roseanne Barr Show.” The program won her an American Comedy Award for Best Female Performer. The success of her stand-up career drew the attention of television producers, and Barr was offered her own ABC series titled “Roseanne.”

The hit sitcom ran from 1988 to 1997 and won acclaim and fans as one of television’s first depictions of a normal, blue-collar family and typical slice-of-life shenanigans. The show was also lauded for having relatively normal and unglamorous actors in starring roles who looked like normal people, such as Barr and her husband on the show, played by John Goodman. The show has been remembered as one of American TV’s greatest, ranking 35 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, with its 1993 episode “A Stash from the Past” ranking 21 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time.

However, just as her career was picking up again with a reboot of the series, a Twitter scandal in 2018 saw Barr shunned by the industry and her onscreen work was forced to take a backseat. Now, the mother of five appears content living at her sprawling mansion in Honokaa, Hawaii, with her longtime partner and playing host to her many grandchildren.

In May 2018, Barr was fired from the revival series “Roseanne” after posting a controversial tweet. The racial overtones of the tweet caused an uproar and gained so much negative attention in the press that the revival of “Roseanne” was canceled, but a spin-off was quickly ordered focusing on Sara Gilbert's character of Darlene, called “The Connors.”

While it was a moment in her career that she would never forget, Barr said she managed to come out on the other side by thinking of her many contributions throughout the years. Barr retreated to her Hawaii home, as her name had become too problematic for many in the industry to want to be associated with. However, Barr did not disappear from public life completely. 

Instead, she began creating more content for her YouTube channel, interviewing comedians and members of political fringe groups, as well as going on a stand-up tour. She became more vocal, not only on YouTube but on her social media, such as Instagram, about her political leanings. 

In February 2023, Barr officially made her big comeback with a new stand-up special called “Roseanne Barr: Cancel This!” and a documentary examining her tumultuous career called “Who Is Roseanne Barr?”

During a February 2023 interview with Fox News, Barr talked about her comeback and what it was like to return to stand-up comedy. She talked about how Gilbert initially told her to let the harsh comments go, but Barr said, “I’m hardly gonna let it go.” Barr said she had a “nervous breakdown” following her cancellation, but has found a way to regain her strength in the process of returning to comedy.

In an interview with Fox News, Barr talked more about her return to stand-up as a way for her to have her say. “My jokes are so great,” she explained. “They’re the most offensive.” The comedian continued:

“We’re going to be even more offensive than we’ve ever been before.”

Barr added, “You've got to be so offensive to offend the most offensive thing that is on earth right now. And I think I've done it."

A separate video from Fox News showed Barr on the night of her stand-up comedy special. The routine started with Barr promising to offend as many people as she could. “I came back because I guess something’s wrong with me or something. I guess something’s in me,” she said.

Barr also often shares photos online of herself around her home, showing off her eclectic sense of style. These photos include her showing off her gray locks proudly. She began sporting the au naturel look on the red carpet at the TV Land Awards in 2008. Barr has said she sees her age as a badge of honor, as she told People: “I’m gonna stop dying my hair and go all the way gray … ’cause I want to look old because I am old and I think it’s d*mn good to be old, too.”

Barr’s career may have slowed down, but her life hasn’t. The comedian has five children of her own and seven grandchildren who keep her busy. Her large brood of grandchildren shows up on her Instagram feed frequently, enjoying the great outdoors at her island home. 

Another constant feature of her laid-back paradise mansion is her longtime partner, writer, composer and producer, Johnny Argent.

Barr and Argent met online in 2002. However, they didn’t meet for a year, speaking only via telephone. It’s clear Barr is enamored with her beau, as she told The Guardian: “My boyfriend and I are kindred spirits. He is feminine in a way. When he used to write for me he lived in the desert. He was like a hermit just with his books. … We talked for a year on the phone. I fell in love with his voice.” Argent refused to send Barr a picture before they met, telling her she wouldn’t like the way he looked. Of their first meeting, Barr recalled waiting in a car at the airport to pick him up. “He opened the door and I almost lost my mind. He was the most handsome man I've ever seen,” Barr recounted. 

Argent pops up regularly on her social media, with videos of him or the both of them having witty, deep and meaningful conversations. Barr has also supported Argent’s writing career and uploaded a video of the pair promoting Argent’s book “Henry Hoskins and The Hole Factory.”

These come amongst posts of her showing off her daily outfits, many of which show Barr with her natural gray hair, colorful dresses and statement pieces. Most notable among them is a post of Barr absolutely rocking a form-fitting leopard print dress and one of her wearing a full, layered skirt paired with the “perfect leather jacket.”

Going by her social media accounts, despite her past misfortune, Barr is continuing to live her best life. With her children, grandchildren and partner by her side, it’s clear Barr isn’t letting the past get her down. 

Roseanne Barr has come a long way since finding fame in the ‘80s. Are you a fan of hers? What do you think of her rocking her natural gray hair while updating her fans with photos of her family? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to friends and family, too.