Top 15 Epic Celebrity Roasts That Stole the Show

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The best roast moments aren’t just funny – they become truly unforgettable. They dominate the conversation, spread rapidly online, and are talked about for days. Whether it’s a traditional roast battle or a televised event, these incredible moments combine perfect timing, unexpected guests, and expertly crafted jokes to create a rare, electric experience.

This collection highlights fifteen unforgettable moments when a performance truly captivated the audience. For each one, we detail the key performers, the setting, and the specific songs or beats that made it special. We focus on the facts so you can easily picture each event and understand how the night went.

Norm Macdonald

I’ll never forget watching Norm Macdonald at the Bob Saget roast back in 2008. It was amazing how he deliberately told these really classic, clean jokes – a total contrast to everything else happening! John Stamos was great as the roastmaster, and the whole panel – with Jeff Ross, Greg Giraldo, and Gilbert Gottfried – was just hilarious. They filmed it in Burbank, and I remember rushing to watch it when it finally aired on Comedy Central that August.

Macdonald deliberately used old-fashioned, cheesy jokes, which stood out from the rest of his performance. The segment was filmed with lots of close-up shots of the audience reacting, and this simple, direct style ended up being the most shared clip from the special on social media and official platforms.

Ricky Gervais

On January 5, 2020, Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes for the fifth time at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. He began the NBC broadcast with a monologue that directly referenced studios, movies, and the people nominated. Throughout his performance, cameras showed live reactions from those seated at the front tables.

The show’s creators added a clock to the teleprompter and adjusted the beginning of the show to fit the larger stage setup. This opening segment, which featured highlights from past shows, established the program’s energy and was re-aired throughout the night before and after awards were presented.

Justin Bieber

The Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber was filmed in mid-March 2015 at Sony Pictures Studios and first aired on March 30th. Kevin Hart hosted the event, and the participants included Ludacris, Hannibal Buress, Jeff Ross, Natasha Leggero, Chris D Elia, Martha Stewart, Snoop Dogg, and Shaquille O’Neal.

Bieber ended the show by reading a statement where he spoke about past issues and thanked everyone on stage. The show also included a lot of music and segments designed to appeal to younger viewers, which helped it attract an audience beyond the channel’s usual comedy fans.

Charlie Sheen

In September 2011, Comedy Central aired a roast of Charlie Sheen, hosted by Seth MacFarlane. The event featured comedians like Patrice O’Neal, Amy Schumer, William Shatner, Anthony Jeselnik, Mike Tyson, Steve-O, Jeff Ross, and Jon Lovitz. It was filmed a week before it was shown on television.

Patrice O’Neal finished the show with a set that responded to the night’s events and built on jokes made earlier. Charlie Sheen stayed on stage for the closing remarks, and the show used old photos and graphics to connect to his popular moment in the media that year.

James Franco

As a big comedy fan, I remember really looking forward to the James Franco roast on Comedy Central back in 2013. It aired on Labor Day, and Seth Rogen was hilarious as the roastmaster. They had a great group of people up there with him – a lot of his usual co-stars and friends like Jonah Hill, Sarah Silverman, Nick Kroll, Natasha Leggero, Bill Hader, and the always-sharp Jeff Ross. It was actually filmed about a week before it finally aired on TV.

The show’s creators drew inspiration from various sources – films by Wes Anderson, graduate-level studies, and artistic installations – to create unique scenes. Bill Hader performed in character, and the show cleverly wove in references to past collaborations. This allowed them to seamlessly include film clips and photos that enhanced the dialogue without slowing things down.

Bruce Willis

Bruce Willis was roasted in a special event taped in Los Angeles in July 2018 and broadcast later that month. Joseph Gordon-Levitt hosted the roast, and the panel of comedians included Edward Norton, Nikki Glaser, Kevin Pollak, Cybill Shepherd, Dennis Rodman, and Jeff Ross.

Demi Moore surprised the audience with a performance that included nods to her past work and famous movies. Show producers intentionally scheduled her appearance near the end of the program, letting them strategically use clips and trailers throughout the show to build anticipation for the big reveal when the episode aired.

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert performed as his character from ‘The Colbert Report’ at the White House Correspondents Dinner on April 29, 2006, held at the Washington Hilton. His routine was a planned part of the evening and aired live on C-SPAN.

The speech was delivered to the President, his staff, and the members of the press seated at the front. Recordings and a complete video were made available soon after the event, allowing those who didn’t see it live that weekend to still experience it.

Barack Obama

On April 30, 2011, President Barack Obama performed a comedy routine at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington, D.C. His speech was close to the end of the event, followed by a performance from Seth Meyers, the head writer of ‘Saturday Night Live’.

The President showed a brief video using clips from current news stories, and then stepped back to the podium to continue speaking. Donald Trump was in the audience that evening, and the cameras frequently showed shots of him and those seated with him. These shots were included both in the live broadcast and in edited versions shown later.

Rob Lowe

The Comedy Central Roast of Rob Lowe was filmed in late August 2016 and first aired on Labor Day. David Spade hosted the event, and the panel of comedians and celebrities included Peyton Manning, Nikki Glaser, Jeff Ross, Jewel, Ann Coulter, Rob Riggle, Ken Jeong, and Ralph Macchio.

The producers strategically placed Manning close to the stage so he could easily interact with speakers, and they filmed reactions from the audience to use in promotional clips. Coulter’s speech was recorded without a teleprompter, and the final version included very few changes, allowing the audience’s genuine reactions to be felt by viewers.

Joan Rivers

In 2009, Comedy Central aired a roast of Joan Rivers, hosted by Kathy Griffin. The event featured comedians Greg Giraldo, Jeff Ross, Whitney Cummings, Tom Arnold, and Gilbert Gottfried, and was filmed in Los Angeles during the summer.

The special combined clips from Joan Rivers’s stand-up routines, appearances on daytime TV, and work covering fashion. The ending allowed Rivers to deliver a final message and was carefully timed to fit the network’s schedule while still acknowledging the people who contributed to the show.

Don Rickles

In 1978, Don Rickles famously performed at Frank Sinatra’s celebrity roast at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The event, which aired on NBC as a primetime variety show, included musical performances, stand-up comedy, and reactions from a panel of celebrities.

The camera frequently switched between shots of Rickles and the audience at the front tables, often cutting to Frank Sinatra. The event attracted many famous actors and television stars of the time, and the final edit showed lengthy portions of Rickles’s quick-paced jokes with only brief pauses for applause.

Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin was roasted at a Comedy Central event held in Beverly Hills in early September 2019, and it aired later that month. Sean Hayes hosted the roast, and the panel of comedians included Robert De Niro, Blake Griffin, Caitlyn Jenner, Ken Jeong, Nikki Glaser, Chris Redd, Caroline Rhea, and Jeff Ross.

The show included a video highlighting the careers of Robert De Niro and Kris Jenner, which smoothly transitioned into specific segments featuring them. They were seated and positioned at podiums in a way that allowed the cameras to easily focus on them throughout the entire broadcast, essentially acting as central figures for each half of the show.

William Shatner

The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner, hosted by Jason Alexander, first aired in August 2006. The event featured roasts from George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Betty White, Greg Giraldo, Artie Lange, and Jeff Ross, and was filmed as part of the network’s summer programming.

The show included appearances by former cast members and references to science fiction history. To help the audience follow along, they used old photos and short video clips that connected jokes to specific episodes and movies throughout the program.

David Hasselhoff

In August 2010, Comedy Central aired a roast of David Hasselhoff, hosted by Seth MacFarlane. The event featured roasts from celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Hulk Hogan, Lisa Lampanelli, Whitney Cummings, George Hamilton, and Jeff Ross. The taping of the roast happened a few days before it was broadcast on television.

The show’s creators used popular songs and TV shows from around the world as inspiration for their content, appealing to a wide audience. The finale featured a familiar song, and the stage design incorporated beach elements that echoed themes presented throughout the event.

Tina Fey

On January 13, 2013, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-hosted the Golden Globes at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. The live NBC broadcast began with a lengthy opening speech that joked about the films and actors nominated that year.

Throughout the show, the hosts revisited familiar jokes and running gags between each award. To make this seamless, the stage was set with a movable podium that allowed them to quickly move between their opening monologue and presenting the awards.

Let us know your favorite roast moment in the comments, and feel free to share any details we should include!

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2025-09-17 11:17