Psychology In Seattle Podcast The Psychology of Roseanne Barr (2019 Rerun)
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Aug 26, 2025 Dive into the intricate personality of Roseanne Barr, where the hosts explore her controversial public persona and the mental health complexities behind it. They discuss how childhood trauma shaped her identity and fueled her bold behavior. The conversation touches on her significant impact on sitcom culture and the struggles of female leads in the 80s. Listeners will uncover the dualities of her mental health and the societal response to her provocative actions, including a racially charged tweet that sparked widespread backlash.
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Stage-Built False Self
- Kirk Honda interprets Roseanne's public persona as rooted in narcissistic and histrionic traits forming a "false self" from childhood abuse.
- He explains lack of self leads to attention-seeking behaviors and a compulsion to perform on stage for validation.
Shock As An Attention Strategy
- Histrionic traits drive deliberate shocking behavior to ensure constant attention and presence in a room.
- Such attention strategies may help short-term self-esteem but frequently "shoot you in the foot" long-term.
Religion Shapes Later Magical Thinking
- Early exposure to intense religious ideas primes openness to conspiratorial or magical beliefs later in life.
- Kirk links Roseanne's Mormon/Jewish childhood experiences to later rigid, odd beliefs immune to contradictory data.