ABC’s 'Roseanne' has never been a show to shy away from controversial topics -- 
the premiere episode of the rebooted series zoomed in on Roseanne Conner’s 
support for President Donald Trump, for example. 
In fact, the series has a long history of making waves. 
Flash back to to 24 years ago. 'Roseanne' started a political firestorm 
with an episode featuring a same-sex kiss, and actress 
Mariel Hemingway still can't get over the huge reaction to the scene.  
Hemingway played a lesbian named Sharon who passionately kissed 
Roseanne in a gay bar during the 1994 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" episode, 
which became one of the show's most controversial of its 220 (and counting) installments.
"I was the girl who wasn't shy about doing something like that," 
the Oscar-nominated actress tells The Hollywood Reporter's Ryan Parker.
"I knew it would be super fun, and I thought it was a great show. 
I didn't even think about it, I just knew, this is going to be awesome." 
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was not the first time a kiss between two women was 
shown on network television, but same-sex kissing was far from 
commonplace when ‘Roseanne' became the first comedy to do it. 
At the time, ABC threatened not to air it, and some 
reports noted that the network could lose $1 million in ad revenue. 
"The religious right was very upset and there were other upset people," 
Hemingway recalls. "When you're doing something, you're in it and you 
don't realize the impact that it will have. But then, it was several
weeks later, and they were about to air it, and it was so controversial."
Hemingway recalls that star Roseanne Barr demanded ABC air 
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The actress notes: "Being on that set, 
you realized that Roseanne was extremely powerful in the television world.”
Nearly 20 million people watched the episode when it aired March 1, 1994. 
Hemingway points out: "Once you saw it, it was ridiculously funny 
because it wasn't a make-out session, it was just a little kiss that Roseanne
[the character] made a massive reaction to. I love the fact that I was a part of that, 
a moment telling people of different sexual orientations that it's OK to be who they are.”
The message obviously resonated with many, as Hemingway recalls: 
“A lot of people stopped me in person and were like, 'Thank you so much. 
I know it was silly, but it meant a lot to me. It made me feel like I wasn't 
alone and it was OK.’ And some of those were actors and others 
in the entertainment industry who never felt 
like they could be themselves, so that was pretty profound."
Hemingway notes that today that same TV kiss would not cause a stir 
at all thanks to the evolution of programming over the last 20 years. 
"You can get away with anything now," she says. "I don't like violence, 
but I believe in the ability to say 'OK, this is who were are and you can choose
not to watch that.' But I think we need to be given that choice. 
I don't like our rights being taken away in any form."
And if she got a chance to appear in the 'Roseanne' reboot should it return 
for another season, Hemingway is all in. "I would love that," she says. 
"I think it would be very funny to see what happened to Sharon."
So, were you watching the “Don’t Kiss, Don’t Tell” episode of 'Roseanne' back in 1994? 
What do you make of the controversy that surrounded it 
and would you like to see Sharon make an appearance in the revival? 
Let us know in the comments. 
For The Hollywood Reporter News, I’m Lyndsey Rodrigues. 
