Celebrities | Pop Culture | 90s

John Goodman Opens Up About How His TV Wife Helped Him Beat His Addiction

Buchan/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

John Goodman was basically America's dad. His portrayal of Dan Conner made us all feel like he was the best dad in the world, and we all wished he was around for us like he was there for his kids.

However, in real life, Goodman has struggled with some really big issues that he has opened up about a fair bit. Goodman even credits his Roseanne costars as helping him come out on the other side.

Roseanne Barr is well know for her honesty and when it comes to her friends, she's not afraid to step in when they need it. When she saw that Goodman needed help, she was the one who confronted him all those years ago.

Goodman was struggling with alcoholism, and like so many others he didn't really realize that it was an issue until his friends made it clear that what he was doing was "hard to watch."

ABC

"She was scared for me, but she was more confrontational"

Goodman revealed that while filming the original run of Roseanne, his TV wife knew she had to step in. "She was scared for me, but she was more confrontational," Goodman explained. "She'd already had a husband go through the process."

Barr was married to actor Tom Arnold and he also struggled with alcoholism so she knew what she needed to do.

Barr stepped up to help Goodman, but he wasn't the only cast member that she was protective of...

She tried to play down her involvement, and explained that they've always been there for each other. "Me and John, we have a friendship off the show, too. John has held my head when I was barfing in a bar. I drank too much, too. I still do. I didn't give it up like John," Barr joked.

But while she's always joking around, in another interview she did say, "John is the funniest and deepest actor in the world. He has only gotten more open, more sweet, more expansive and giving, on-screen and off, if that were possible, since the Roseanne show."

Goodman has been sober for eight years now, but it has been an uphill battle. The last four years of Roseanne were becoming increasingly difficult. “I was drinking at work and [Barr] was scared for me. I was ashamed of myself, but I couldn’t stop.”

ABC

Barr helped Goodman realize that his behavior wasn't acceptable. He admitted that it wasn't even a preference of taste, instead he would just drink "anything that was wet and of a certain proof."

Barr was protective of the entire cast when they were filming, so it makes sense that she would try to help out Goodman. She also revealed that her TV daughters had some issues as well and she was right there for them.

“I was pissed at everybody,” Barr said. “Like, I found out the crew was letting Sara Gilbert smoke pot with them and I was f–king furious over that. I called her mom, I called everybody’s mom. Lecy [Goranson] was having trouble, too. I called her parents. I’m Jewish and I’m a mother. What do you want?”

I guess if you have Roseanne Barr as your TV mom or wife you've got to know that she's going to look out for you. Could you imagine how embarrassing it would be to have her call your mom?

Source - Entertainment Weekly / The Guardian

More Throwbacks

Celebrities

'Mighty Ducks' Star Shaun Weiss Arrested Again Only Months After Leaving Rehab

After Shaun Weiss' arrest in August left everyone worried about the former child star, the actor was forced to re-evaluate his choices. His mugshot showed a gaunt, sickly, and unrecognizable man, but Weiss believed this was his "rock bottom" and hoped to come back from it stronger than ever. In a statement released to his Facebook page after the arrest, Weiss revealed that he realized he was in "danger." Oroville Police Department"At this time, in an effort to break free from the self destructive patterns of behavior and drug abuse that have landed me at rock bottom, (to be

Celebrities

91-Year-Old 'Boy Meets World' Star Scared Off Burglars After They "Kicked In" His Door

Mr. Feeny will forever be a character that every 90s kid cherishes. He was the teacher. The one teacher we all wished we could have in real life, the one teacher who could have given us helpful advice, and above all else, he was the one teacher who would have been the best neighbor ever.William Daniels was a legend and an icon long before Boy Meets World, because he was the voice of KITT in Knight Rider. Not only that, but he won two Emmy awards for his role on St. Elsewhere. Daniels is a talented man, and his

70s

James Karen, Legendary Actor Known For 'Poltergeist' And So Much More, Dead At 94

You probably don't know his name, but you definitely know James Karen's face. The prolific character actor, best known for his role as the unscrupulous developer Mr. Teague in 1982's Poltergeist, passed away in his Los Angeles home on Tuesday at the age of 94.MGM/UA Entertainment Co.Over the course of his seven-decade career, Karen racked up over 200 acting credits across movies, television, and even video games. If you watch just about any of the most popular television shows from the 1970s, 80s, or 90s, you're guaranteed to see him pop up sooner or later. Born Jacob

80s

His Small Part In 'Ferris Bueller' Became Iconic, But Where Is Ben Stein Now?

The words "Bueller...Bueller...Bueller?" can only be read in one way, and with that simple, monotone delivery, a star was born. Ben Stein played the economics professor in the iconic John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and that role managed to launch his career in a way that you may not expect for someone with such a small part. Sure, he's on screen for less than five minutes, but it's the delivery you remember. Yes, obviously the other characters are more present, and you can remember some of the more iconic moments as well, but it's Stein's line

Celebrities

'Free Willy' Star Jason James Ritcher Arrested For Domestic Violence

Former child actor Jason James Richter, star of the iconic movie Free Willy, has recently gotten himself arrested. Many of us have forgotten about Richter, especially because he had stepped out of the spotlight for several years. He only started acting again in guest spots on shows like Bones and Criminal Minds in 2009, but nothing seemed to relaunch his career. Warner Bros. He continued working though, taking small parts in a variety of projects, with several movies set to be released this year, but apparently there's been a lot going on behind the scenes. The actor-turned-musician was arrested on

Pop Culture

Busy Philipps Says James Franco Assaulted Her On The Set Of 'Freaks And Geeks'

The show Freaks and Geeks was the launching point for a lot of Hollywood's biggest stars. That's where we were first introduced to people like Seth Rogen, Jason Segal, and Linda Cardellini. While the series only lasted one season, it managed to be the stepping stone a lot of successful actors needed to get noticed. One of the stars of that show has gone on to have remarkably successful career, but apparently her time on set wasn't as magical as it may have seemed.Busy Philipps played the rebellious and often misunderstood Kim Kelly. She was a new friend of