The 1990s was a decade that was filled with amazing sitcoms that have heavily influenced what fans enjoy now. Friends was a relatable powerhouse, Seinfeld featured a ton of pre-fame stars, and Fraser had controversial episodes that would get banned today. These are just a few of the shows that helped make the '90s so memorable.
During that same decade, Roseanne was a massive series that turned Roseanne Barr into a household name. The show's popularity kept it on TV for nearly a decade, and during that time, Roseanne was making far more money than most people even realize. The subsequent reboot and her falling out, however, wound up costing her a pretty penny.
So, how much money was Roseanne Barr making while starring on Roseanne? Let's take a closer look at the show and the money she was making.
'Roseanne' Is An Iconic Show
In 1988, television audiences were introduced to the Conner family for the first time when Roseanne made its debut on the small screen. There were plenty of good sitcoms on TV at the time, but fans soon saw just how great this show could be, and over time, it blossomed into an iconic series.
Starring Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, and an exceptional young cast, Roseanne was a fantastic sitcom that balanced comedy and serious family themes well. Focusing on a working class family was a brilliant move by the show. Each character played an integral part in the show catching on with audiences, as many people could recognize themselves on screen.
As the show continued its time on TV, it was able to successfully evolve with the times, and its stories grew more mature, which suited the characters growing up and moving onto new phases of their lives. Even when newer characters were brought into the fold, the series balanced things well.
After 10 seasons and over 200 episodes, Roseanne came to an end in 1997. During those years, Roseanne herself was collecting massive paychecks, which played a major part in her net worth skyrocketing.
Barr Made Up To $21 Million Annually For 'Roseanne'
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Roseanne Barr is currently worth $80 million. A lot of her fortune is thanks to Roseanne, which was paying her the big bucks while it was still on the air.
The site reports that Barr was making up to $21 million for the show's final season, which made her one of the highest-paid stars on TV. It was an incredible achievement, and it was all thanks to how brilliant she was on the show that helped make her a comedy powerhouse all those years ago.
Of course, this was before syndication even kicked in. In 1993, Variety reported that Roseanne was making up to $1 million per episode for syndication. Because she was the star, co-creator, and executive producer, you had better believe that she was pocketing some of that sweet syndication cash.
When Roseanne was gearing up to come back, it was not too surprising to learn that Roseanne herself was going to be making good money once again. However, the comedian found herself wrapped up in controversy, which subsequently cost her a ton of money.
The Reboot Was Off To A Hot Start Before Roseanne's Controversy
Getting into hot water on social media ignited a whirlwind of controversy for Roseanne Barr. Instead of things just blowing over, the comedian was cut out of her show, which cost her plenty of cash.
According to Esquire, "With the cancellation of Roseanne, Barr is taking a multi-million-dollar hit. Variety reports that she made an estimated $250,000 per episode in the first rebooted season, of which there were nine episodes. That got her $2.25 million for one season of work. We don't know how long Roseanne would have stayed on the air, but we do know ABC ordered 13 more episodes for a second rebooted season before the Twitter incident, per Time. That means Barr likely cost herself at least $3.25 million, based on her current rate."
Something this major dominated headlines for some time, and many people wondered if the Conner clan, who had just made their return, was done on TV for good. The network, instead of shelving the family, gave them their own show, The Conners, minus Roseanne. Some fans complained, but considering that the show just came back for season 4, we'd say that this gamble paid off for the network.
Roseanne Barr made millions from Roseanne, and while she did lose out on a ton of cash due to her controversy, her net worth is still looking good.
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