ENTERTAINMENT 111111111•111), - A =so eoi dining f a mily 25938 Middlebelt Rd. at 11 Mile Rd. in the Mid-11 Plaza 476-1750 Farmington Hills . 7 0 Roseanne Barr Laughs Away Her Painful Past MICHAEL ELKIN Special to The Jewish News T alk of tantrums on the sitcom set, a broken marriage, reports of romantic liaisons with the comedian/fiance who used to be her opening act in clubs, allegations that she hired thugs to pummel bother- some photographers, revela- tions of a child born to Barr out of wedlock some 20 years ago, accounts of her stay years back in a mental hospital . . . And, of course, a top-rated sitcom. Not long ago, Roseanne Barr sat in a bookstore, the center of at- tention of adoring fans as she signed copies of her autobiographical Roseanne: My Life as a Woman, the woman who never met a dustball she didn't like offered a tidy explanation of No Nielsen ratings sum up a long- running series of hurts and hits that life has dealt. why, at the age of 36, she penned her life story. "To stay sane," she says. Life for Roseanne Barr has been more dramedy than comedy. There are no Nielsen ratings that can conveniently sum up a long- running series of hurts and hits that life has dealt. And while the caustic com- ic fondly recalls early per- formances — "I was real good," Barr says of her por- trayal of King Ahasuerus in a Purim production for her local synagogue — Roseanne Barr's reviews of hometown Salt Lake City are pans, plain and simple. "That," she says, the bit- terness ever present, "was a horrible place to be Jewish." Those early taunts stick with her. "There was a lot of anti-Semitism, a lot of anti- Semitism. By the time my brother was 9, he had had his nose broken nine times." Breaking with the past has not been easy for Barr. Despite the riches that come with fame, the comedian has a certain sadness about her; it is as if she is waiting for life's laughtrack to end so she will once more have to hear the pain of the past. Indeed, it seems no small irony that the original title for Barr's book was Reflec- tions of Hatred and Bit- terness. Barr's autobiography is novel in form — off-hand comments mixed with memories and mischief, an amalgam of the wit and wisdom of an entertainer who wows audiences with hilarity born of honesty. "I want to write a second book about me," says Barr, adding that Barr writes: "I loved my grandmother more than any other human being because she never lied, never told you what you wanted to hear, never com- promised. She had a healthy hatred for all living human beings, all systems of government, all religion, ex- cept her own, of course, which was based on her in- tolerance of humanity with a little Judaism thrown in." Barr was left bereft when her grandmother died in 1982. She composed her own elegy in honor of Mary Bit- man Davis "because I could find no prayer in all of Judaism to thank her." Barr read that prayer on a recent "Oprah Winfrey Show." She also said she's not afraid of a challenge — in- cluding her first movie, She- Devil, in which she stars op- posite Meryl Streep. Like the character she plays on "Roseanne," Barr doesn't so much march to her own drummer as step to Symphony Sets Concert The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra will present pianist Benjamin Paster- nack 4 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Michigan Theater. Pasternack was the 1988 top prize winner at the 40th Busoni International Piano Competition in Italy. There is a charge. For in- formation, call the Michigan Theater, 668-8397. People Dancing Has New Works People Dancing will pre- sent The Robe and Crown, a collaboration between Setrakian and singers Tracy Lee Komarmy and Dick Siegel 8 p.m. Jan. 12 and Jan 13 and 2 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Performance Network in Ann Arbor. The concert features Appalachian music. There is a charge. For in- formation, call Michigan Theater ticket office, 668- 8397. a. 2 for $10.95 8 FRY w/garden greens veg. • RAINBOW. TROUT w/pot., spinach pie, rice I • VEAL MARSALA w/pot. • ROAST CHICKEN w/rice ' I • CHICKEN MARSALA w/pot. • VEAL PARMESAN i j L • GREEK COMBO PLATE wince 8 • CHICKEN STIR her own symphony. Indeed, in a recent article in Red- book, Arnold mentioned that "Rosey wants to be another Janis Joplin" and that the two of them are thinking about going out on the road with a band. Roseanne Barr as a rock star? Maybe just another way to get her licks out of life — and to lick the pain of the past. 0 OPEN 7 DAYS ... MON. THRU THURS. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. FRI. & SAT. 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. — SUN. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. DIET SEAFOOD SALAD BUY. ONE GET ANY SECOND 1 LB. SALAD FREE Expires 1 11-90 - Film Close-Up Group Forms Registration for Southfield's Film Close-up class will begin the first week in January at the parks and recreation building. The class begins 7 p.m. Jan. 16 and meets for eight weeks. The class, conducted by Walter Bothwell, attends area cinemas each week. The group then meets at Southfield Art Center for a critique of the art of the film viewed: the sets, costumes, lighting, music, editing and directing as well as the in- terpretation of the script and the quality of performance. There is a charge. For in- formation, call parks and recreation, 354-4717. VINEYARD'S CAFE L' DELICATESSEN • OVER 50 GOURMET SANDWICHES (DOUBLE & TRIPLE DECKERS) • ALMOST 30 FRESH HOMEMADE SALADS • FRESH HOMEMADE SOUPS • MIDEASTERN CUISINE • COLOMBO FROZEN LITE YOGURT 32418 NORTHWESTERN, BET, MIDDLEBELT & 14 855.9463 Ammingis.. .01•1111111iNium. .11111111 ■■ 111 ■ 1111 11111111 ■ inessm ■■11■■ 1111 ••11 ■11■■ 11111111 111 ■11 ■■■. emill1110 ■ •8 ■1111111 •■ lli .111111111•111111•111111 1111111111 assomessissauillii. ommillso11 •111111111111•1111 1111111111111111111111r - IMIIII ■ 11111111 Isele111111111111 ••111•• ■••■► m•o ■■■■■ok im 411 I•■■ 111111 ■■■■■■II •11111 ■111■■■■11■■ Judy Goldstein Performs At Library The Friends of the Hun- tington Woods Library pre- sent Judy Goldstein, inter- nationally known folk- singer and guitarist, 7 p.m. Jan. 16 at the library. There is no charge. WSU Jazz Band Appears At OCC The Wayne State Univer- sity Jazz Band will play 8 p.m. Jan. 19 on the Highland Lakes Campus of Oakland Community College. For information. call OCC, 360-3041. The City of Southfield's Cultural Arts Division will hold the first of the 1990 "Kids Koncerts" 1:30 p.m. Jan. 20 in room 115 of the parks and recreation building. Guy Sferlazza stars in this musical adventure, "The Chautauqua Express." Yards and Yards of BRUNCH Each Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. $1 495 per person Give every NEWBORN the advantage Reservations Suggested March of Dimes Private Parties up to 200 IF YOU WANT v Competitive Rates Tax Advantages V Complete Safety Kids Concert In Southfield TRAY CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS BUY U.S. SAVINGS BONDS Where you bank. 495 Children 12 and under 3551050 EMBASSY SUITES HOTEL 28100 Franklin Road Southfield Advertising in The Jewish News Gets Results Place Your Ad Today. Call 354-6060 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 65