Deal Settled For Another Year Of ‘Roseanne’

ABC formally announced Tuesday that it had a deal with Carsey-Werner Productions for a ninth year of “Roseanne,” the biggest prime-time hit of the early 1990s.

ABC executives had said the show might not be back because it had become too expensive and because the show’s co-star, John Goodman, was expected to depart at the end of this season.

Now, after a protracted negotiation that included approaches by the producers to two other networks and a strong offer from one, CBS, “Roseanne” isn’t going anywhere after all.

Goodman is, though not quite as far as first rumored. He very likely will be back occasionally, executives close to the show said, perhaps for six of the 22 episodes next season.

And how will his absence be explained? Roseanne herself has come up with one idea: He’ll be in the bathroom the rest of the time. “Roseanne will talk to him through the door,” one of the star’s associates said Tuesday. Look for Goodman to emerge in November and February, the Nielsen sweep rating months, when ratings are used to establish advertising rates for the coming quarter.

Money was indeed a factor in the outcome. ABC had been paying a license fee of $3.3 million an episode for “Roseanne.” (Most comedies don’t exceed $1 million.) Because Goodman was bowing out of regular duty, ABC was freed from an obligation to pay the same amount for another year. That opened the door for CBS, which made a substantial offer, though at least $1 million below the $3.3 million figure.

ABC finally stepped up. CBS executives say ABC paid more; ABC executives say they paid $200,000 an episode less than CBS offered.

As for Roseanne herself, her agent, Jerry Katzman of William Morris, said, “She’s very happy.” One reason: She concluded that the chances of continuing for a 10th season were far better if the show didn’t change networks. “She would absolutely do another season after next year,” Katzman said.

Lollapalooza picks Metallica

Yet again, Lollapalooza delivers the unexpected - by signing Metallica.

Hard rock outfit Metallica will headline this summer’s Lollapalooza caravan tour along with Soundgarden and the Ramones.

“The early response to Metallica was, ‘Huh? They’re not alternative,”’ said Lollapalooza organizer Peter Grosslight. “Lollapalooza is, and always has been, about curve balls. Having Metallica as a headliner is indeed a curve ball - very Lollapalooza.”

Metallica is in the studio these days finishing an as-yet untitled album, due in stores before the tour begins in June.

The Ramones, who last year called it quits, agreed to make Lollapalooza ‘96 their official swan song, Grosslight said.

Most of the Lollapalooza dates this year will take place in fields, such as the Velodrome at California State University, Dominguez Hills, as opposed to permanent standing structures, such as Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, where the show took place last summer.

‘One Sweet Day’ sets record

The wait is over.

This week, after nearly four months of speculation, “One Sweet Day” did indeed go into the record books.

Now that it has scored a 15th straight week as the pop champ, it stands all by itself as the longest-running No. 1 single in chart history. Left behind in second place, at 14 weeks each, are Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You and Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You.”

However, the timing of this week’s achievement had to be more than a little bittersweet for Mariah Carey, who was a notable big loser at last week’s Grammy Awards along with her “One Sweet Day” collaborators, Boyz II Men.

But the good news for Carey and the Boyz is that their featured performance of “One Sweet Day” as the opening number of the big Grammy show likely gave the song just the push it needed to stay on top for a bit longer, right at the time when it finally was in danger of being passed by one of those “Waiting to Exhale” songs that have been threatening for weeks.