Roseanne Barr Reveals The Reason She Had To Give Up Her Secret Child For Adoption

Dec 25, 2023 by apost team

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” 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.”

Barr has since lost popularity after she sent out a controversial tweet that caused ABC to cancel a reboot of “Roseanne” in 2018. The show lived on in another form, now called “The Connors,” without Barr’s part or participation.  

After three marriages, several kids, and now a slew of grandkids, the actress seems to be taking a break from being everyone’s television mom to be a parent to her own family. 

As of 2021, Barr lived in Hawaii in the town of Honokaa on the Big Island. She spends her time out of the spotlight and lives a life of luxury in her mansion, which used to be a museum.

Unbeknownst to many, Barr is not only a mother to four of her children but also to a child she gave away for adoption way before she shot to fame. Read on to learn more about Barr and the story of the child that she gave up for adoption.  

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.”

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 about her political leanings, not only on YouTube but on her social media, such as Instagram. 

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, as quoted by Women Working: “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 damn 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. 

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Most people know that Barr has four children –  Jessica Pentland, Jennifer Pentland, Jake Barr, and Buck Barr. Born in 1975, Jessica is the second oldest child of the actress. She worked as a writer, producer, and researcher; among the shows she worked with was her mother’s show in 1997. Jennifer and Jake also worked in the entertainment industry as a producer and writer, starting her footsteps on her mother’s show. 

Thomas, also known as Buck, was born in 1995 and is the youngest of the siblings. Unlike his three older siblings, Buck chose to live outside of the limelight. 

How does she manage this ever-expanding blended family without losing her marbles? Barr told reporters in an interview with Reuters, “Laughter is like the last line of defense against craziness, and you can really go crazy being a mom.” She went on, touching on the sacrifice of self that parenthood entails, “You are never again going to be ‘I’ again. It will always be ‘we,’” she advised. 

However, not many people know that Barr had a child before she became famous. When she fell pregnant at the age of 18, she relocated to Denver and stayed at the Salvation Army home for single moms.

She gave birth to her daughter. Despite her hesitations, she gave up the baby to a Jewish family, knowing enough that they would meet again in the future. 

“But the day they came to take my baby away, I whispered to her, “You remember this, I’ll see you when you’re 18.” I always knew that. I always knew we would get back,” she told People Magazine. 

Three years later, Barr married her first husband, Ben Petland, and they had Jessica, Jennifer, and Jake. However, their marriage didn’t last long, and they divorced. 

At the time, Barr was busy with work when she received a life-changing call.  She got word from the tabloids that they had information about the whereabouts of the child she put up for adoption when she was still a teenager. 

In a People Magazine interview, Barr revealed that she had “left information” that would allow the child to find her at the time she turns 21. 

“I had even told my kids about the adoption a year earlier because I knew she was 17 and might try to find me,” she recounted. 

That’s when Barr sought the help of a private investigator and tracked down Brandi Brown – her eldest daughter. They found out her name, her school, and even her adoptive parents. 

“I’m so glad I found her. So glad she came home,” Barr recalled feeling when Brandi called her, a month before their actual reunion. 

The heartwarming reunion was like in the movies. Barr and Brandi met at the Westwood Marquis Hotel, describing their first meeting in years to be “emotional yet happy.” 

“I turned around and felt this powerful magnet. We looked at each other, Brandi jumped out of her seat, and we started running toward each other. We embraced and wouldn’t let go of each other, hugging and crying. We went up in the elevator finally and had ourselves a reunion,” Barr joyfully recalled. “Gail had done a great job as Brandi’s mom. We just held on to each other, looking into each other’s eyes and crying as I told Brandi how much I had missed her for so long.” 

What can you say about Roseanne Barr’s journey? Do you know someone who had the same experience as her? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there!