Whitney Cummings on rebooting Roseanne in the Trump era: “I promise you’re going to be nettled by something on the show”

Vulture

The comedian and Roseanne executive producer explains in a Vulture essay why Roseanne is necessary in a country divided by Trump. “This show is not about Trump — it’s about the circumstances that made people think Trump was a good idea,” she explains. Cummings says the Roseanne reboot will show characters viewers will disagree with, and storylines that will make everybody uncomfortable, regardless of where they are on the political spectrum. “It’s not that our goal was specifically to piss anyone off, but the Roseanne writers have a commitment to the truth that I have not seen on other network shows,” says Cummings. “There’s no agenda, no judgment of the characters, just a deep devotion to the Conners’ fiscal and emotional reality.” She adds: “In network television, there’s a lot of conversation about making characters ‘likable,’ but often it’s at the expense of making them complicated and truthful. After working with some of the show’s original writers, I’ve concluded that their quest to honor reality and avoid worrying about if you ‘like’ the characters is actually what ended up making you love the characters. For a sitcom to make you care that much requires that the writers and actors have a perfect balance of courage and restraint.” ALSO: Tim Allen responds after reports of Roseanne’s support of Trump prompts calls for ABC to bring back Last Man Standing.