Trump, who has made no secret about his obsession with TV ratings, was allegedly “enthralled by the ‘huge’ ratings Roseanne had received,” says The New York Times, quoting people familiar with the matter. He decided to call the actress to congratulate her, which White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed.

The premiere episode of Roseanne, a revival of the 1990s sitcom, had 18.2 million total viewers, 10% more than the original series finale 21 years ago, reports Deadline.

Barr has been a vocal defender of Trump, and on the show her character portrays an avid Trump supporter. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Barr had said she made Roseanne a Trump supporter on the show because it seemed like an “accurate portrayal” of the political preferences of many working-class American families.

https://twitter.com/therealroseanne/status/979393662936403970

Roseanne’s sister on the show is portrayed as a Clinton supporter.