The former domestic goddess is in her L.A. kitchen, preparing breakfast for her young son Buck when the phone call comes through. "More coffee," Roseanne Barr whispers away from the mouthpiece before beginning the interview. Within minutes, it is clear that Barr, despite her fame and wealth as a TV celebrity and author, remains a social cynic and brash defender of the American working class. In one of a few, selected stand-up gigs scheduled for this year, Roseanne will be appearing at Toronto's Hummingbird Centre on April 28 for what she calls her farewell world tour. No, it's not her farewell, but that of the world itself which she predicts is heading towards the apocalypse. "The whole world's farewell, 'cuz it's going to blow up within two years," she explains wearily. "And so I'm trying to show everyone the bright side of what that really means. Like the diet industry will be going up in flames along with everything else, and that kinda cheers me up." The often outspoken TV star, whose Emmy-winning ABC-TV sitcom about the constantly-struggling Conner family waved the flag for the downtrodden during the 1980s and '90s, says her stage routine carries political overtones that a Canadian audience should appreciate. "I've got a lot of good fodder when there's a Republican president," she says. Asked what she's noticed that's different in Canada, she replies: "Yeah, it's like you guys are smarter. And you're better." "When I went up there and saw the news. . .it blew my mind because it was fair and balanced, and it wasn't this corporate-driven bullshit. And, man, I was so sad 'cuz our country is (pause) lost!" And while conceding that her successes as an author, TV actor, producer and talk-show host have made her wealthy, she still feels a strong connection to her trailer-park roots. "The blue-collar people are being decimated here, the working class is disappearing, there's nobody like the Conners left at all in this country," she says with sudden energy. Barr (she's back to two names again, revealing that traveling with a one-name passport became too much of a hassle) admits that she felt like Rumpelstiltskin after 10 years doing the Roseanne TV show, awakening to disbelief at how American society had changed. She concedes that her wealth and fame had distanced her from her former classmates, but she thinks of herself as a sort of spy. "I'm undercover and reporting back. . .it's funny how rich people are different than poor people. I think it's hilarious actually." There's a noticeable sense of resignation in Barr's rhetoric. She has no plans to return to television. At 52, she just feels too tired and too old. And yet, she's undergone a remarkable physical transformation from her days on prime time, looking thinner and younger than ever. "I know, isn't that great?" she says, perking up. "I did it when I was 40 and I'm kind of over it. I did it a long time ago. I'm not going to do any more but I like how I look." She says she could fix other things, but fears that if she's put to sleep now for an extreme makeover, she might never wake up. So apart from a few tour dates like the Toronto one, Barr is, apparently, on the verge of retirement. She explains that she prefers a one-woman stage show because it doesn't involve making compromises like television does. "I'd rather just say what I want and go out onstage and do what I want. . .and I'm not waiting for seven people to tell me whether lawyers like it. It's my back-to-basic roots and all that other stuff is just show business." But she does have another passion these days in The Roseanne Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds community-based projects dealing with child abuse and drugs. Not illicit drugs but the pharmaceutical kind. And again a whiff of social paranoia can be detected in her words. "There's a lot of resistance to drug-free children," she says. "The drug companies are starting to drug kids when they're two, three years old now. Rather than teach them to meditate or focus their minds, they just drug 'em."-CP

THE SONGBOOK OF MARCY AND ZYNA: First Class! Two Thumbs Up

A bouquet of wonderfully crafted and delivered musical treasure by two outstanding and acclaimed divas. It ties the glorious musical past of a golden era and the steaming splashes and vibes of a contemporary musical innovation. A marvelous work worthy accolades.  No musical library is complete without "Goldrich and Heisler". Click on the title for additional information

"Photo far left, Goldrich, the superb Lisa Richard and Heisler.

Bright as two buttons, they sing the songs they write with the kind of wit and intelligence of the dorothys parker and fields…" David Finkle, Village Voice
Marcy and Zyna:2003 mac nominees song of the year special material , 2002 mac winners song of the year, 2002 ascap foundation winners richard rodgers new horizons award 2000 mac award winners song of the year special material . 2000 bistro award winners outstanding songwriters.2000 "best of nyc" village voice