Roseanne Barr Says George Clooney Just Said No To ‘Roseanne’ Revival
Roseanne fans are looking forward to seeing some familiar guest stars from seasons past — everyone from Johnny Galecki to Sandra Bernhard will return for the ABC revival — but one recurring cast member won’t be making a guest spot on the high-rated reboot of the Roseanne Barr sitcom. According to Barr herself, veteran Roseanne cast member George Clooney will not return to reprise his role as Booker Brooks on the show.
Barr made her comments on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM radio show, revealing that Clooney declined a possible cameo on the Roseanne reboot.
“Well, George Clooney didn’t want to come on — so that was a bummer, but he lives in Italy,” Barr said, according to People.
“He’s said some really silly things about me, but I still love him.”
Roseanne Barr did not elaborate on what silly things George said about her, but the actor previously dished about his co-star’s “pickup line” to him when they first met.
“I worked on her first series, and when I met her she said, ‘You’re really good looking, why don’t you take me out behind the stage and make me stink,'” Clooney said of Barr, according to People. “She was unbelievably kind to me at a time when no one was.”
According To Roseanne Barr, George Clooney 'Didn’t Want To Come On' The #Roseanne Reboot https://t.co/43CmHA8sgf pic.twitter.com/WID03xmqhZ
— Zimbio (@zimbio) March 30, 2018
Before he shot to superstardom on the medical drama ER, George Clooney played Wellman Plastics supervisor/foreman Booker Brooks on Roseanne, the boss of Roseanne Conner (Barr) and her sister, Jackie Harris (Laurie Metcalf). Clooney’s character even dated Jackie during his 11-episode run, which began in the show’s first season back in 1988. Clooney’s last Roseanne appearance was in the 1991 Halloween episode, “Trick Me Up, Trick Me Down.”
Roseanne Barr has been vocal about the fact that George Clooney was a prankster on the Roseanne set when they worked together 30 years ago. Clooney once talked Roseanne into destroying a chocolate gift that ABC bosses gave to her. And according to Entertainment Tonight, in 2014 Roseanne revealed on co-star Sara Gilbert’s CBS daytime show, The Talk, that the future A-list actor once took a picture of his crotch wearing a Groucho Marx disguise. Barr said Clooney left the X-rated photo on the set refrigerator, but the pic went missing — and she is still hoping it will turn up.
Of course, now that the Roseanne revival has already been renewed for a second season (the 11th overall for the series), there’s always the chance that George Clooney could change his tune and make a return as Booker Brooks. Longtime fans would love to know what Clooney’s character has been up to since 1991.
You can see George Clooney in an early episode of Roseanne below.
Roseanne airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
