The Comedy Central roast has been a platform for mocking ludicrous celebrity actions since 1998. Roast fans craving blood Monday at the Justin Bieber roast were probably disappointed by the tameness of the jokes.
Bieber worked extremely hard over the past year to make sure they had enough material for a Roman blood bath. The hilarity of the event was undeniable, but the roasters mocked each other more than they mocked the roastee. After his entrance on stage as a fallen angel, Bieber simply sat there expressionless and awkward.
Over the past couple years, Bieber has been less than a model citizen for his devout fans and anyone with eyes and ears. For a while, the tabloids woke up every day thinking it was Christmas. He caused $20,000 in damages to his neighbor's house with eggs, left his pet monkey in Germany and completed his “visits from local law enforcements” punch card. This roast seemed like a publicist’s attempt to mend Bieber’s tarnished reputation. It provided an opportunity to openly address Bieber’s mysterious behavior.
A good-natured roast uses the roastee's colleagues to create a fun atmosphere with the comfort of familiar faces. Bieber’s roasters included Pete Davidson, Ludacris, Natasha Leggero, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris D'Elia, Martha Stewart, Jeff Ross, Snoop Dogg and Hannibal Buress — not exactly Bieber’s BFFs.
As Hannibal Buress so bluntly said, “They say to roast the ones you love, but I don’t like you at all. I’m just here because this is a really good opportunity for me.” Ouch.
Kevin Hart dominated his role as roast master from the moment he came on stage dressed as a preacher for the Church of Beliebers.
Hart mocked Bieber for trying to be a gangster. He made it clear that someone cannot be tough and have a perfume named "Girlfriend."
Martha Stewart kindly gave Bieber some jail tips and offered advice on how to get his life back on track, ultimately ending with a "call me" joke that left the audience in tears.
When Bieber took the microphone, he made his best attempt at an apology for his actions. “I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of, but we are turning a new leaf here.” It sounded forced and created the start of a promise Bieber might not be able to finish.
Reach the reporter at randrew3@asu.edu
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