Since the show "Roseanne," the one and only Roseanne Barr has taken time off from being in the Hollywood spotlight. But recently, after almost 18 years of being off the stage, Roseanne returns to her roots and is now touring select cities including an appearance at Cobb's Comedy Club in San Francisco from Sept. 23 to 25.

Q: What would we college students expect from your comedy show at Cobb's? Could you give us a preview?

A: You can expect an irreverent look at some of the things I think are lame and laughable about our "culture" - things like the obsession to be thin while half the world is starving, our half-assed government, trashy, disgusting "reality shows," old people trying to be sexy, our perverse overreaction to gay people, the stupidity of fighting over religion, you know, just the general idiocy and insanity of everything that's idiotic and insane in our crazy world.

Q: Did your family help you with your career in any way?

A: Yes, they were a gushing source of neurotic, maddening behavior and sad misguided attempts to be "normal" in a place that was like another planet, "Planet Utah." We were closeted Jews in a Mormon stronghold and my brother and sister were gay just to make sure we were even more weird. I would have killed my parents but I didn't want to go to prison. I was dark and fat and Jewish in a world of skinny, blonde Mormon girls whose parents thought and spoke like they just climbed off a covered wagon. And then the fun began! You know the expression: "You have to laugh to keep from crying."

Q: “Roseanne” was really about the American middle-class family life. What message(s) did you want to send out to Americans that watched your show?

A: Somebody famous in history said the job of a free press is "...to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." I like that idea. I just wanted people to see a family they could relate to, one that wasn't all airbrushed and had their problems solved in a happy ending every week. Life's a struggle for most people and I wanted to show that but also show that people who are making it from paycheck to paycheck can have a sense of humor, trudge through it all including the fights and disappointments and still love each other without being sappy and perfect and phony.

Q: Do you have any regrets about moving from Salt Lake City to Denver and then to Los Angeles?

A: Nope...that's what it took.

Q: How long has it been since you preformed standup and what made you decide to come back to doing stand up comedy?

A: The Roseanne Show debuted in '87, so I guess it's been something like eighteen years or so since I did standup steadily. I've gone back because that's really what started it all and led to the show and everything since - it's fun for the same reasons it was early on: you're right there talking to people and making them think and laugh and, for me at least there's nothing like it. I get to make fun at things I think need to be held up to the light and laughed at. I like to perform and have a forum for my righteous bitching.

Q: Were you asked to do the voice for the character of “Maggie” the cow in Disney’s “Home on the Range,” or did you volunteer for it?

A: My agent called me and was a little hesitant about telling me that Disney wanted me to play a....(Gulp)....COW. To his surprise, I was thrilled - I mean, this was DISNEY! I grew up with all that awesome Disney imagery and storytelling and legendary family entertainment. It was great fun and even though it wasn't a big box-office hit I'm proud of it. There was great animation, wonderful music and an incredibly talented cast - especially me! (Wink, wink).

Q: Do you have a most memorable moment while working with the cast and crew of “Roseanne?”

A: I don't remember all that much - I was drunk and on prescription drugs most of the time! I'm just kidding; I was only messed up about half the time. Actually, there were lots of great moments as you can imagine; it's nearly impossible to pick one as the best.

Catch Roseanne Barr live at Cobb's Comedy Club, 915 Columbus Ave., SF. Tickets go from $27 to $30 with showtimes at 8 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. For more information call Cobb's at 415-928-4320 or visit the web site at Cobb's Comedy Club