The only part at which I laughed out loud was when Andy Dick did his Courtney Love imperonation to Farrah, and when prompted to return “the favor”, her reaction was priceless.
Except for Lisa Lamponelli, who only knows how to curse, everyone else would have been much funnier without the vulgarities
These Comedy Central Roasts are trying to recreate the feeling of the old Friars Roasts in the 60s and early 70s (probably older, but the older ones weren’t televised) and they fall more than short
What a let down. I had looked forward to seeing this for a couple of weeks and this is what they do. I agree that the Farrah reaction to Dick was the one good part of her appearance. Betty White is great and the one saving grace. But, once again, Capt. Kirk comes through and pulls it out of the fire.
Way too much gay stuff and crass attempts at humor.
I admire Mr. Shatner for the job he has done in building a career after a part that could have been the death of many an actor. And his ability to laugh at himself is a credit to the person he is. And Denny Crane! Don’t get me started!
It seemed more like ranking than roasting. The majority of the jokes were generic, functionally “Yo mamma so ugly…” Why bother having Shatner there? Or anybody? since most of the material had no relationship to anybody or their actual behavior.
I think Comedy Central chose younger comics who don’t know personally know him rather than old comics who might know him, Like Dick Gregory or Phyllis Diller because their core audience knows Ross, Lampinelli, et. al., and they didn’t want jokes about the Korean War and the Dumont network.
Usually that’s the case, but the best roasting I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing was Stephen Colbert’s speech at the Chevy Chase roast. Rarely have I heard anyone put down so magnificently, and he never once resorted to profanity.
I forgot the Shatner roast was on last night, but from the sounds of it I’m glad I didn’t see it. A lot of the recent roasters severely lack in comedic quality. (I say Lisa Lampanelli is not funny, just crass.) Some of them strike gold; I laughed my ass off at Gilbert Gottfried during Hugh Hefner’s roast when he claimed Ice Cube stole his bit. The majority of the stuff on roasts, though, really aren’t television-worthy, even for Comedy Central.
Another good line from past roasts: “I was going to keep it clean for the old people around here, but, uh…fuck that.” - Ryan Stiles
I didn’t see it but wanted to add- In my opinion Jeff Ross’ “Bea Arthur’s dick” joke takes a back seat to his “…dried up quicker than Sarah Silverman’s vagina around someone who can’t help her career.” joke.
That was funny because it was true. Bea’s penis open to debate.
Adam West is another one, altho he’s not had the ‘success’ that Shatner has, he has been successful in keeping his voice (and sometimes his face) at the forefront of pop culture, and also can laugh at himself - I think it would be great if the two of them could do a “Kirk Meets Batman” sort of thing
Totally agree the Sarah Silverman dried up pussy joke is one of the best in all of the CC roasts (minor nit: it was Greg Giraldo, not Ross- given the quality you would think it was Ross, though). It was so dead on- the look on her face made you think that even she agreed with it. I know there is more to love than looks, but I really doubt a chick like that who could have any guy she wanted gets turned on by a nude Jimmy Kimmel :rolleyes:
In that same roast, when Giraldo was blasting Adam Corolla, I actaully felt sorry for Corolla because he looked embarassed- it’s odd he would agree to be up there if he can’t handle jokes at his expense.
Another great roast joke was when Sarah Silverman asked Dick Gregory “are you the one from the rice or the cookies” - classic.
It was 105 minutes of my life I wish I could have back.
Give a bunch of C-list comics four minutes each. They spend the first 2 1/2 minutes making fun of their fellow comics failure and/or sexual deviance. Then the spend the next minute using the same jokes for the guest of honor. Then they spend 30 seconds saying what great respect they have for the guest of honor.
The only things even remotely funny were the pre-recorded bits with Nimoy, Kimmel and Silverman, Stiller and the Shatner hall of fame. Edit out all the standup and it might have been a decent 30 minutes.
Hmm. I think they’re pretty well-matched in the looks department. To each his own.
I think one of the problems with Shatner’s roast is that there is that nuclear option in the background that they couldn’t touch because they were told “ixnay on the eaday ifeway”. The roasters, to prove they weren’t pussies, had to leapfrog over that issue, and get to material that was in even worse taste than that, and you’ve got to go pretty far to be in worse taste than that.
Come on, not even that bunch would find humor in the death of a spouse.
not to the widow(er)'s face anyway
Well, there was that joke Jeffrey Ross made to Courtney Love. I doubt anybody had to be told not to make jokes about Shatner’s wife, though.
It was pretty crude. Betty White was probably the funniest roaster because you just don’t expect to hear that kind of stuff coming out of a sweet-voiced little old lady. I think they beat the “Sulu is Gay!” horse until it was a fine red unfunny mist. Ben Stiller’s bit about being 10 years old and sitting on Takei’s lap because Takei said his lap was a transporter was not only crass and crude it was just wrong - gay does not equal pedophile and I really get tired of seeing it treated as if it does.
The funniest moment of all was the clips of Shatner singing, especially Mr. Tambourine Man. They should have just let Shatner roast himself and show clips from his career.
Does anyone ever think Andy Dick is funny?
Indeed.
Maybe if I’d had more to drink.
Does he usually do these? He was on a Star Trek: Voyager episode. One ownders if they had Trek and Science Fiction actors on.
Things just aren’t built for quality the way they were in the old days, whether it be an appliance or a celebrity roast.
I wasted my time also. I wonder who Comedy Central thought their target viewer was? What age group?
I won’t do this again.
Whoever heard of a Hastings Refrigerator?
Go watch the first 4 seasons of NewsRadio, back in Andy’s pre-coke days. Matthew Brock was hilarious to watch.
Willy Loman, for one. But you knew that. Good catch.