FREE ESSAY ON ROSEANNE BECOMES A ROLE MODEL

ROSEANNE BECOMES A ROLE MODEL

Roseanne Becomes A Role Model 
It's eight o'clock in the evening, I have settled down on the couch to watch some
primetime television. As I flip through the channels I realize how superficial and
unrealistic the actresses truly are. I also began to notice one common thread between all
of the women portrayed on television; most look like they just got done with a photo
shoot for Cosmopolitan or Playboy. The men portrayed seem to be a little more realistic
and down to earth. This brought out a startling realization that men can be just the guys
next door; while women need to be drop dead gorgeous. The "Roseanne" sitcom is the only
show that I can think of that didn't fit these generalizations.
When looking back at what I gained from watching "Roseanne," the television sitcom from
the late eighties, I see a woman who wasn't afraid to tell the world, "World, this is who
I am. Deal with it!" I really feel Roseanne lived by this motto. She was over-weight
boisterous, sometimes downright obnoxious person, but she always seemed to have her heart
in the right place. She was a positive role model to many, encouraging many women to show
off to society who they really are, giving us a sense of inner-beauty for a change.
American women did not have to compete with her, only themselves. Nobody started
over-eating to look like Roseanne (nor really wanted to), but she inspired many to
believe that it is all right to be over-weight. In fact, Roseanne and people with weight
management problems make up approximately sixty percent of the U.S. population; try
finding that percentage of lead roles on television that are women. Only thin women land
roles as television leads on sitcoms, and seeing an over-weight woman the star of a
sitcom up until the eighties was just unheard of. Roseanne broke into the nineties with
ratings higher than ever. She not only broke the social norm but also gained tremendous
momentum for others to follow in her footsteps, the only problem no one has followed
yet.
As the series came to a grinding halt in 1995 (after a year of terrible script writing),
it would have appeared to be a perfect time for series creators to follow Roseanne's
traits and do a spin-off. Nobody followed and society is still waiting. An over-weight
teen may be a simple answer for the role model we are expecting in sitcoms. Roseanne has
proven it's all right to be an over-weight middle-aged woman, but girls in their teenage
years need role models more than anyone else at any other age. Teens are the ones prone
to eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia usually inspired by the way sitcoms
portray their images at their age.
American women of all ages need to take a stance on the images that are being portrayed
on television. America needs more Roseanne's out there to come forward and tell the
television writers and creators that American women represent the majority of the
population, and they want to see more shows that they can relate to. Granted, television
has made some headway with shows such as the "Drew Carey Show." This show depicts an
over-weight star, Drew Carey, a balding, middle-aged man whom most would consider a
loser. Although Drew is a man whom many males can relate to, male role models are less in
need. 
The Drew Carey Show unfortunately depicts the usual role for an over-weight female
character named "Mimi." She's downright mean and unlikable to many, stirring countless
hours of laughter by insensitive males stemmed at her looks. The writers dress Mimi up in
clothes that would be suitable for only a clown at a carnival, thus demising any attempt
women have of seeing her as a true three-dimensional character. This has once diminished
any small chance of over-weight women seeing the true Hollywood stardom Roseanne was able
to attain simply by showing who she really was.
Teenaged girls watch countless hours of sitcoms, MTV, and read plenty of magazines
directed at "how to present oneself as the norm in society." If we in society can take a
stance and try to make some headway in sitcoms by starting a role for a normal teenaged
girl, MTV and the teenaged girl magazines will follow. All it will take is another
Roseanne, another three-dimensional character most all girls can relate to in some way.
Roseanne broke all traditions of reserving women who are beautiful based on their looks
alone for leads on sitcoms. Her show became an instant hit by showing and telling America
who she really was, simply by telling the truth. Why not mimic the success of her show
and grow with it as society has in recent years. We as a society are a whole lot more
understanding to adverse looks since Roseanne began and even more so since it ended. Why
not try giving another Roseanne, better yet, a teenaged Roseanne a chance?