There's a common belief in Hollywood -- and, OK, other places -- that reporters will go anywhere with an open bar and free food.

I'm not saying that's a complete fallacy, but the truth is that if you want us to hang around, you have to give us someone to talk to.

A lot of us showed up earlier tonight (or last night, in East Coast terms) at the Hollywood and Highland complex, having accepted invitations to a big bash to celebrate the Aug. 30 launch of the first season of "Roseanne" on DVD.

Along with the Aug. 2 release of the first season of "The Cosby Show," this is big news, and a small piece of television history. It's also something I'd be inclined to write about.

We were promised the cast members would be there, and from what I could see, they were.

The only problem was that we were on the first floor of the Lucky Strike bowling alley and they, well, they were on the second floor, in a VIP room that overlooked the masses.

No velvet rope, just a burly guard who seemed unimpressed by our press badges.

So we quickly left.

Just now, though, I finally got a look at the back of my badge, which contains three long paragraphs of fine print, including this:

"By use of this badge, and in consideration of admission to the party, the badge holder grants Anchor Bay Entertainment, Carsey Werner and its/their affiliates, successors, licensees and agents, to the irrevocable right to utilize the badge holder's name, voice, likeness and/or image in any live or recorded video and/or DVD and/or television display or other transmission or other audiovisual and/or printed reproduction, in whole or in part, of the party, the participants thereat and/or any activity related to the event."

I just hope they liked photographing us from the back.