Roseanne Barr guest stars on 'Cristela'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- In the late 1980s, Roseanne Barr set the bar in the sitcom world with her hit self-titled show set in the world of the working class. This season, Cristela Alonzo hopes to follow in those famous footsteps.

Alonzo invited her role model to guest star on her show, "Cristela."

"I really wanted her to be on the show because I think -- I know -- that without her, I wouldn't be here," said Alonzo, who loved watching "Roseanne."

Alonzo works in front and behind of the camera on her sitcom.

"The first thing I said to her was, 'Your show changed my life. It was such a big part of my life and I want you to be on the show because you're one of the biggest influences ever on me,'" Alonzo said.

Barr plays the boss' third wife.

"She's so talented and so great, you know? Her performance level, her writing level, everything, so it's a big compliment that she sees me as somebody that she admires," Barr said.

"I like doing comedy and I'm having a blast. I'm enjoying every minute of it," Barr added.

Barr appears on "Cristela" at 8:30 p.m. Friday.