Despite heavy promotion, The Comedy Central Roast of Joan Rivers was down 32% in the ratings compared to its last roast of Larry the Cable Guy. Most of the blame for the poor ratings is being shifted to ESPN which had the Yankees-Red Sox game on at the same time.In general, it seems like the roasts are declining in the ratings. Joan got less than Larry who got less than Pamela Anderson who got less than Bill Engvall. Perhaps America is just getting sick of "C" level celebrity roasting (even though that level is probably all Comedy Central could afford).
For me, the roasts are kind of hit-and-miss. I liked the Shatner roast, and I caught some of the Joan Rivers roast and found it to be underwhelming. What do you think? Did you like the Joan Rivers roast? Do you think Comedy Central should lay off the whole roasting concept for a little while?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-13-2009 @ 7:18AM
Jack said...
What is the point of roasting people like Larry and Joan who are caricatures? I don't get that.
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8-12-2009 @ 3:08PM
nffcnnr said...
i think they should take the best part of every CC roast - Jeffrey Ross - and let him stand alone at the dais while several celebs take turns in the hot seat. Call it "Celebrity Spit Roast."
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8-12-2009 @ 4:28PM
Jimmy said...
The roasts are weird. The ones you think will be great (Joan Rivers and William Shatner) are underwhelming, and the ones you think will suck (Larry The Cable Guy and Flavor Flav) are pretty freakin' hilarious. I still think the roast of Pamela Anderson is one of the funniest TV shows I've ever watched.
Say what you will about the C-list celebrities, but I think Greg Giraldo is hilarious.
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8-12-2009 @ 5:35PM
GigG said...
I like the roasts. I wish they wouldn't bring in so many people that don't or barely know the roastee.
But let's face it CC is aimed at a younger demo than Joan Rivers fans. That's probably why Larry the Cable Guy's roast did so much better.
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8-12-2009 @ 4:44PM
SomeRandomGuy said...
A big part of the problem is that most of the roasters are awful. Outside of Jeffrey Ross and Greg Giraldo, I can't think of a regular they have that isn't unfunny or painfully unfunny.
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8-12-2009 @ 4:49PM
hugeliver said...
Watch the old Dean Martin Roasts. These ones just SUCK!!!!
They subscribe to the lowest common denominator with bottom of the barrel celebrities who most people hate or don't even care about!!!!!
I know from listening to various friends in many circles that the caliber of performers is just BAD (Lisa Lampanelli, Lady Bunny, Andy Dick, Patton Oswald, etc. WHO CARES!?!? They're NOT funny) and their comedy is just too ignorant. They are using the venue for crude comedy until their reality show comes along, gets cancelled because NOBODY wants to see them and they sail off into oblivion.
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8-13-2009 @ 8:41AM
L. said...
A little part of me died when you said Patton Oswalt wasn't funny.
8-14-2009 @ 2:48PM
Gordy said...
Patton Oswalt isn't funny.
8-12-2009 @ 6:06PM
AKM said...
Bob Saget has a face like a flower... a cauliflower!
Ladies and gentlemen, this man is for the birds!
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8-12-2009 @ 9:50PM
Joyce N. said...
Joan Rivers has become more of a D-level celebrity. Who cares anymore? Her new show is bound to crash, too. Good riddance!
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8-19-2009 @ 2:50PM
S. Smith said...
Roast ratings/ viewer interest are based on the targeted celebrity. Pitt/Jolie, Clooney, Roberts, Kidman, or Will Smith will produce Nielsen ratings gold, but chances are, they won't sign up to be roasted. Celebrities forced into reality shows will sign up 1 2 3! Any publicity than can get...:-)
The best part of the JR roast was JR. I found the roasting comedians to be unfunny, crude, and just mean and yes, the Dean Martin roasts set the standard, but remember: his roasts were broadcasted on Network TV so comedians had to be funny without being dirty---very few comics can play it clean and get belly laughs from the audience these days. Ironically, Joan used to be that type of comedian (someone say they remember her days on the Tonight Show?).
We all know Joan is crass so her carpetbomb attack on her roasters was to be expected and honestly, the funniest part of the show. Joan actually made jokes about herself and the panel not the barrage of Jr. High insults that were heaped on her by the likes of newbies like Cummings and Giraldo. Comedy Central should continue to roast B-C list comedians.
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8-14-2009 @ 2:46PM
Gordy said...
Not a far assessment. I mean, it's airing ad nauseam, so if I'm DVRing it, and a show that's only airing once was one the first airing, I'd just record it during the next airing.
Not to mention, I tend to record all Comedy central shows after midnight. They tend to be uncensored. That wasn't the case her, but, I'm just saying.
I thought it was great. Gilbert Gotfried's Bar/Cheese Sandwich joke was a hoot.
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8-14-2009 @ 8:59PM
gina said...
Joan River sucks the big one..She's a tasteless witch.
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8-14-2009 @ 4:20PM
Moe said...
I am no prude & I really loved the Flavor Flav & Pamela Anderson roast, but this one I watched for a while & then Gilbert got on and did this long winded speech about everyone butt screwing each other (throwing "names" into it) & I just turned it off. He & his squinty eyes are NOT FUNNY. And his "comedy" this night did not make any sense & was just horrible.
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8-15-2009 @ 12:43AM
N Kash said...
Frankly, it's Joan Rivers. I don't give a flying [expletive] about her, and thank goodness a lot of people don't. Overrated celebrity.
Who doesn't love Melissa though...that wonderful horse face...
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