Were it not for infamously butchering the national anthem, starring in a beloved, if somewhat middling, sitcom from 1988-1997, hosting a bizarre, failed talk show and marrying one of America's most thick-headed comics, Tom Arnold, comedienne Roseanne Barr would be but a blip on the cultural radar — having begun as a raucous, off-color comic coming up in the Eighties, Barr made a name for herself as an anything-goes comedienne who, amazingly, transitioned into TV and retaining some of her signature spark. Having not done much of note since "Roseanne" went off the air in the late Nineties, it would seem as though her life in the spotlight were over, aside from occasional TV appearances and voice-over work in animated films.

Enter this HBO special, Roseanne Barr: Blonde and Bitchin', that appears to herald her return, at the very least, to the world of stand-up, essentially bringing her career full circle. It's painful to watch however — forced, erratic and not especially funny, Roseanne Barr: Blonde and Bitchin' covers a range of topics, all of which feel stale: the foibles of illegal immigrants, the homosexual community, predictable shots at President Bush, rants about obesity and raising children, so on and so forth. In one of the supplements, Barr reveals that she'd been writing this material on and off for the last six years, which would certainly account for the moldy, incredibly tired riffs that appear throughout the eternally long 69-minute run time.

Is Barr past her prime as a stand-up comic, having been out of the game for too long to jump right back in? This rambling, screechy and annoying special would suggest that yes, perhaps retirement suits Roseanne better than being onstage. The overly appreciative crowd at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles seems to have given Barr a false sense of security, laughing uproariously at every lame pun and forced joke, which makes her material seem like it should be funnier than it is. Odds are good you won't make it too far into this special — unless, of course, you're a diehard fan — and even if you do make it all the way through the over-the-top finale, you likely won't think "Welcome back, Roseanne"; it'll be some variation on "Why did you bother?"

The Video:

Perversely, while you may be fighting to avert your eyes from this misfire, Roseanne Barr: Blonde and Bitchin' is presented with a spotless 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that sucks you in, allowing you to catch every crease of Barr's outfit and the details of the Comedy Store's set. It's a razor-sharp image.

Much like the visual end of things, the aural component of the DVD is top-notch: a crystal clear Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack that provides a very immersive comedy club ambiance throughout the performance, filling in the surround speakers with chatter and laughter. Barr's abrasive voice blares from the center channel with no drop-out or distortion. A Dolby 2.0 stereo track is also included.

In a surprising move for a HBO stand-up comedy DVD, there are actually some bonus features included. Of course, given the tenor of the special, these aren't exactly anything to get fired up about: the six minute, 27 second featurette "The Make-Up Diva" features Roseanne trying to be comfortable with pinch-hitting make-up artist (and drag queen) Jackie Beat; the four minute, 56 second "Getting Up For Going On" features Roseanne receiving an awkward, drawn-out pep talk from motivational coach Clam Lynch; the three minute, 26 second "After All The Bitchin'" hangs out with Roseanne and her friends after the show's conclusion with the eight minute, six second interview "Roseanne: Here and Now" and a photo gallery rounding out the disc.

Odds are good you won't make it too far into Roseanne Barr: Blonde and Bitchin' — unless, of course, you're a diehard fan — and even if you do make it all the way through the over-the-top finale, you likely won't think "Welcome back, Roseanne"; it'll be some variation on "Why did you bother?" Skip it.