Roseanne Hears Boos Bursting in Air

She walked up to the microphone to sing the national anthem before the second game of the Padres’ double header with Cincinnati Wednesday night and received the loudest ovation of the evening.

Comedienne Roseanne Barr, ladies and gentlemen, star of the hit television show “Roseanne.”

By the end of her first line, most of the cheers had turned to loud boos.

Her rendition of the anthem lasted 53 seconds, and she didn’t sing so much as she screamed and screeched. As she finished, she waved to the crowd with one hand--while the booing continued--and grabbed at her crotch with the other.

KFMB radio broadcast Barr’s performance live, and the Padres’ night switchboard operator, Ellen Flores, said she fielded calls from 72 angry people within an hour--and more were coming in.

“This is the worst, as far as complaints, in my 19 years,” she said.

Tom Werner, Padre managing general partner and producer of Barr’s television series, had accepted Barr’s request to sing the anthem, according to Ron Seaver, the team’s director of promotions. Wednesday night was Working Women’s Day at the stadium.

Werner was at the game, and, after the crowd’s loud reaction, he huddled with Bill Beck, an assistant to Jack McKeon, the team’s vice president for baseball operations, and Mike Swanson, Padre director of media relations, for 20 minutes before informing the media through Swanson that he would be unavailable for comment.

The Padres eventually issued this statement from Seaver: “The Padres understand that many people were concerned about Roseanne Barr’s rendition of the national anthem. She was doing the best she could under the circumstances of the audio delay, and she certainly meant no disrespect to the national anthem.”

Barr apparently left the stadium shortly after singing and was unavailable for comment.

This isn’t the first time Barr has drawn attention to herself at a baseball game. She mooned the crowd in Oakland at a World Series game last October.

A handful of other reactions from fans in attendance, all of whom said they had seen Barr’s television show:

* “I thought it was a joke,” said Lloyd Lawson, 31. “I wonder if Werner was trying to embarrass her or something.”

* “I’m a patriotic person, and I thought it was putting our national anthem down,” said Billie Greene, 59.

* “I wouldn’t boo her, but I thought it was inappropriate,” said Betty Hied, 60. “But I wouldn’t blame her. Blame whoever set it up for showing poor taste.”

* “She’s funny, but not for singing,” said Emily Pavlenko, 15. “She embarrassed herself tonight.”