Don't Hassle the Hoff

[Trekker4747]

I'm not a huge fan of the Comedy Central Rosts, many times I find the jokes too centered on vulgarity and, well, that's pretty much all they are. Just vulgar, crass, jokes. William Shatner roast was the last one I really watched and, ugh. I mean, I get that it's a "roast" but can these comics really not think of any other jokes to make except for strongly vulgar ones?

Anyway, I may have to watch the next CC Roast they're doing in August they're taking on...

 

[Gary Mitchell]

My eyes!! If I have nightmares after seeing that I'll have you to thank.


The Shatner roast was the first and last of those I'll watch. I don't mind vulgar stuff but this was just over the top and not even funny.
There should have been more people who actually knew William Shatner there. I've only seen clips of the old Dean Martin roasts but they seemed like a lot more fun.

 

[Trekker4747]

My eyes!! If I have nightmares after seeing that I'll have you to thank.


The Shatner roast was the first and last of those I'll watch. I don't mind vulgar stuff but this was just over the top and not even funny.
There should have been more people who actually knew William Shatner there. I've only seen clips of the old Dean Martin roasts but they seemed like a lot more fun.

Same here, I've no problems at all with vulgar comedy but moderation, context and use is all key. But just going into OTT vulgar sexual humor like they did in the Shatner Roast was just not my cup of tea. And Andy Dick's "Kock" story (speaking as the offspring of a paring of Kirk and Spock) was just... ugh. I know the whole "Kirk and Spock were lovers" thing is a huge, stupid, slash-fiction thing but geeezzzeee. And Andy Dick is about as funny as a kick to the nuts by someone with one of those Klingon boots with a spike on the toe-cap.

But, I may tune in to see this Hoff thing as, really, the guy has set himself up for a lot of it, I just hope they don't cross some lines given his life troubles. I'd prefer some more genuine humor. I mean, sure, roast the guy, but not all of the jokes have to be sexual in nature I think we be more creative than that.

I mean, come on, the guy was upstaged by a Trans-Am!

 

[flipjack]

A roast is supposed to be of a successful, well respected person by a bunch of his friends, not of a guy with recent video of him drunkenly eating a sandwich off the floor. Someone didn't think this though, and it has a good possibility of ending badly.

Anyway, obligatory eyebleach Hoff gif:

 

[Dusty Ayres]

My eyes!! If I have nightmares after seeing that I'll have you to thank.


The Shatner roast was the first and last of those I'll watch. I don't mind vulgar stuff but this was just over the top and not even funny.
There should have been more people who actually knew William Shatner there. I've only seen clips of the old Dean Martin roasts but they seemed like a lot more fun.

My eyes!! If I have nightmares after seeing that I'll have you to thank.


The Shatner roast was the first and last of those I'll watch. I don't mind vulgar stuff but this was just over the top and not even funny.
There should have been more people who actually knew William Shatner there. I've only seen clips of the old Dean Martin roasts but they seemed like a lot more fun.

Same here, I've no problems at all with vulgar comedy but moderation, context and use is all key. But just going into OTT vulgar sexual humor like they did in the Shatner Roast was just not my cup of tea. And Andy Dick's "Kock" story (speaking as the offspring of a paring of Kirk and Spock) was just... ugh. I know the whole "Kirk and Spock were lovers" thing is a huge, stupid, slash-fiction thing but geeezzzeee. And Andy Dick is about as funny as a kick to the nuts by someone with one of those Klingon boots with a spike on the toe-cap.

But, I may tune in to see this Hoff thing as, really, the guy has set himself up for a lot of it, I just hope they don't cross some lines given his life troubles. I'd prefer some more genuine humor. I mean, sure, roast the guy, but not all of the jokes have to be sexual in nature I think we be more creative than that.

I mean, come on, the guy was upstaged by a Trans-Am!

A roast is supposed to be of a successful, well respected person by a bunch of his friends, not of a guy with recent video of him drunkenly eating a sandwich off the floor. Someone didn't think this though, and it has a good possibility of ending badly.

Anyway, obligatory eyebleach Hoff gif:

Sorry, everybody, but sexual humor is a part of life, and the Shat was set up for it due to the 'Kirk is a ladies man' meme running through Star Trek:TOS. Also, the younger generation (and some of the older ones) aren't going to be telling crappy, corny lame jokes; they'll be getting to the meat and potatoes of the matter in a given subject's life. As for 'Kock', again, the fans started this up; they will have to put up with what they've wrought. This is the Richard Pryor/George Carlin generation of comedians, not the cornball ones that populated the Dean Martin roast, and they tell jokes about sex (the Python guys do the same thing too.)

 

[scotpens]

This is the Richard Pryor/George Carlin generation of comedians, not the cornball ones that populated the Dean Martin roast, and they tell jokes about sex (the Python guys do the same thing too.)

Except that Pryor, Carlin and the Pythons were FUNNY.

 

[Amaris]

This is the Richard Pryor/George Carlin generation of comedians, not the cornball ones that populated the Dean Martin roast, and they tell jokes about sex (the Python guys do the same thing too.)

Except that Pryor, Carlin and the Pythons were FUNNY.

Exactly.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

This is the Richard Pryor/George Carlin generation of comedians, not the cornball ones that populated the Dean Martin roast, and they tell jokes about sex (the Python guys do the same thing too.)

Except that Pryor, Carlin and the Pythons were FUNNY.

This is the Richard Pryor/George Carlin generation of comedians, not the cornball ones that populated the Dean Martin roast, and they tell jokes about sex (the Python guys do the same thing too.)

Except that Pryor, Carlin and the Pythons were FUNNY.

Exactly.

Pryor, Carlin & The Pythons, were funny, yes, but their humor was also sometimes scatological (at least the first two) and somewhat vulgar-NOT corny. What you want are nothing but corny jokes that barely work, mostly because like most Americans, you're way too prudish when it comes to sexual and
scatological matters, so you blanch when they are spoken. If you can't stand the current roasts, I suggest that the both of you stick to the old ones and 'quit yer bitching', as Ann Landers used to say, or get a bong, get high, and lighten up.

 

[DeafPoet]

Ridiculously vulgar jokes are those roasts' raison d'etre. Call it crass and unfunny all you want, but you're missing the point. It's funny because they're going so ridiculously over the top.

It's an hour and a half of "Oh yeah? Can you top THIS?" Some of the jokes suck in and of themselves, but when woven into a tapestry of disgusting one-upsmanship it becomes funny.

 

[John Picard]

My eyes!! If I have nightmares after seeing that I'll have you to thank.


The Shatner roast was the first and last of those I'll watch. I don't mind vulgar stuff but this was just over the top and not even funny.
There should have been more people who actually knew William Shatner there. I've only seen clips of the old Dean Martin roasts but they seemed like a lot more fun.

I spent one boring Saturday evening watching some of the old Dean Martin roasts on YouTube. The best ones are where the late-Foster Brooks is performing.

 

[Gary Mitchell]

Pryor, Carlin & The Pythons, were funny, yes, but their humor was also sometimes scatological (at least the first two) and somewhat vulgar-NOT corny. What you want are nothing but corny jokes that barely work, mostly because like most Americans, you're way too prudish when it comes to sexual and
scatological matters, so you blanch when they are spoken. If you can't stand the current roasts, I suggest that the both of you stick to the old ones and 'quit yer bitching', as Ann Landers used to say, or get a bong, get high, and lighten up.

I guess that's the solution for everything, huh? Instead of something that's actually funny, get high and that makes even Andy Dick funny, right?

 

[JRS]

Anyway, obligatory eyebleach Hoff gif:

Good..GOD! Thats just..

 

[TheMurph]

Pryor, Carlin & The Pythons, were funny, yes, but their humor was also sometimes scatological (at least the first two) and somewhat vulgar-NOT corny. What you want are nothing but corny jokes that barely work, mostly because like most Americans, you're way too prudish when it comes to sexual and
scatological matters, so you blanch when they are spoken. If you can't stand the current roasts, I suggest that the both of you stick to the old ones and 'quit yer bitching', as Ann Landers used to say, or get a bong, get high, and lighten up.

Vulgarity isn't the issue as much as the lack of funny. The comedians you mentioned knew just the right amount of vulgarity to put into something to make it outrageous and funny. To season the joke if you will. The ones that do the roasts now are just flinging shit and hoping to be hip and edgy.

Ridiculously vulgar jokes are those roasts' raison d'etre. Call it crass and unfunny all you want, but you're missing the point. It's funny because they're going so ridiculously over the top.

It's an hour and a half of "Oh yeah? Can you top THIS?" Some of the jokes suck in and of themselves, but when woven into a tapestry of disgusting one-upsmanship it becomes funny.

No, no it doesn't.

 

[DeafPoet]

No, no it doesn't.

Well, since you put it that way, I change my opinion on the whole thing!

Look, humour's highly subjective. Look no further than Two and a Half Men still being on the air for proof.

 

[Reverend]

Saying "humour is subjective" does not make crap like the Shatner roast funny.
I have absolutely no problem with comedy that involves horrendous vulgarity so long as it's COMEDY not a bunch of juvenile nonsense that uses rude words as a crutch in lieu of anything that's actually funny.

Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Eddie Murphy (back in the day), Billy Connolly Chris Rock, Eddie Izzard, Robin Williams; these are all hilariously funny stand-ups who's acts typically consisted of a LOT of vulgarity, but the vulgarity wasn't the reason they were funny. At least not the sole reason and certainly not the main reason...that is assuming you have an IQ greater than a concussed budgerigar who's lost his little mirror.
They were funny because they are (or in some cases, were) sharp, insightful, intelligent and entertaining. Take all that away and you're left with a bunch of idiots spewing obscenities, which is what I saw at the Shatner roast. That and some issues that George bless him should have really been discussing with his therapist. Bill may have been a complete cock to him 40 years ago but bloody hell, get over it man!

 

[Trekker4747]

Saying "humour is subjective" does not make crap like the Shatner roast funny.
I have absolutely no problem with comedy that involves horrendous vulgarity so long as it's COMEDY not a bunch of juvenile nonsense that uses rude words as a crutch in lieu of anything that's actually funny.

This. I've no problem with vulgar comedy either, some of my favorite comedians use a lot of vulgarity but the weave it into a tapestry of fine-crafted humor. The Shatner roast was just vulgarity for the sake of vulgarity which was stupid sense Comedy Central -needlessly- censors-out the vulgarities!

Curse all you want, use all of the sex-jokes you want, but give me some damn variety! A few sex-related or scat-related jokes in the thing is fine and funny. But when the whole damn thing is vulgarities they lose their luster somewhat.

 

[Amaris]

This is the Richard Pryor/George Carlin generation of comedians, not the cornball ones that populated the Dean Martin roast, and they tell jokes about sex (the Python guys do the same thing too.)

Except that Pryor, Carlin and the Pythons were FUNNY.

Except that Pryor, Carlin and the Pythons were FUNNY.

Exactly.

Pryor, Carlin & The Pythons, were funny, yes, but their humor was also sometimes scatological (at least the first two) and somewhat vulgar-NOT corny. What you want are nothing but corny jokes that barely work, mostly because like most Americans, you're way too prudish when it comes to sexual and
scatological matters, so you blanch when they are spoken. If you can't stand the current roasts, I suggest that the both of you stick to the old ones and 'quit yer bitching', as Ann Landers used to say, or get a bong, get high, and lighten up.

Um, what? What do you know about me other than a blanket generalization as a "you Americans". I am definitely no prude.

 

[Dusty Ayres]

Except that Pryor, Carlin and the Pythons were FUNNY.

Exactly.

Pryor, Carlin & The Pythons, were funny, yes, but their humor was also sometimes scatological (at least the first two) and somewhat vulgar-NOT corny. What you want are nothing but corny jokes that barely work, mostly because like most Americans, you're way too prudish when it comes to sexual and
scatological matters, so you blanch when they are spoken. If you can't stand the current roasts, I suggest that the both of you stick to the old ones and 'quit yer bitching', as Ann Landers used to say, or get a bong, get high, and lighten up.

Um, what? What do you know about me other than a blanket generalization as a "you Americans". I am definitely no prude.

I stand corrected about you being an American, but about the prudishness, I'm sticking with what I said. Vulgarity is in the eye of the beholder, and obviously the roast didn't work for you. But there are people who it did work for, and so they found it funny, as there's going to be more roasts.

 

[Reverend]

... obviously the roast didn't work for you. But there are people who it did work for, and so they found it funny, as there's going to be more roasts.

And who are this mythical race of beings that found it funny and exactly how often were they dropped as babies?

Just from this thread alone you seem to be in a minority of one and I don't think I've spoken to a single other person who saw it that thought it was even vaguely amusing, or for that matter sat through the whole thing.

Murphy said it himself that there's more to blue comedy than just mindless obscenities. I don't think anyone is saying there shouldn't be more roasts, just that the Shatner one wasn't funny.

 

[scotpens]

Look, humour's highly subjective. Look no further than Two and a Half Men still being on the air for proof.

Or the fact that so many high school and college kids back in the ’70s thought Cheech and Chong were funny.

Either that, or it's proof that pot smoking causes brain damage.