You probably think you know what a roast looks like. You’ve seen the modern ones on cable where people basically scream insults at each other until someone cries or the lawyers get nervous. But back in the 70s, it wasn't like that. It was smoother. It was cooler. It was The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast, and honestly, TV has never really been the same since Dean decided to stop hosting them.
Between 1974 and 1984, NBC aired 54 of these specials. They weren't just comedy shows; they were cultural events where the biggest names on the planet—we're talking Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, and Lucille Ball—sat on a dais and let their friends rip them to shreds for an hour. All while Dean sat in the middle, looking like he’d just rolled out of a tuxedo shop with a drink in his hand and a cigarette that never seemed to burn down.
What Made the Dean Martin Era Different?
Most people think Dean was actually drunk during these shows. He wasn't. It was mostly apple juice in that glass, a trick he’d perfected to lean into his "King of Cool" persona. He barely rehearsed. He’d show up, read the cue cards for the first time, and let his natural charm do the heavy lifting. That’s why the show felt so loose. It was basically a high-budget cocktail party where everyone was in on the joke.
The roasts actually started as a segment on The Dean Martin Show around 1973 before becoming their own standalone specials. They were patterned after the legendary New York Friars' Club roasts, but the TV version had to be sanitized for a 70s audience. Still, they pushed the envelope.
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The Regulars Who Stole the Show
You couldn't have a roast without the "regulars." These were the guys who didn't even need the person being roasted to be their best friend—they just needed a microphone.
- Don Rickles: The undisputed king. He could walk up to the podium and insult Frank Sinatra’s heritage or the President’s intelligence, and everyone would howl.
- Foster Brooks: His "lovable drunk" act was so convincing that people actually worried about him. He’d stumble to the mic and deliver perfectly timed, slurred insults that were masterpieces of physical comedy.
- Nipsey Russell: He’d deliver his roasts in rhyme. It sounds cheesy now, but his wit was razor-sharp.
- Ruth Buzzi: Often appearing as her Laugh-In character Gladys Ormphby, she’d beat celebrities with her purse. It was physical, it was weird, and it worked every time.
The Most Iconic Roastees
When you look at the guest list today, it’s staggering. These weren't D-list reality stars.
The very first standalone special featured Bob Hope on October 31, 1974. The roasters included Neil Armstrong and Ronald Reagan. Think about that for a second. An astronaut and a future president together to make fun of a comedian.
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Lucille Ball’s roast in 1975 was a heavy hitter, too. It was notable because it was the final TV appearance for the legendary Jack Benny, who died just weeks after filming. There was a genuine warmth in that episode that you just don't see in modern comedy. They weren't trying to "cancel" anyone; they were celebrating them by pointing out their flaws.
Then there was the Sammy Davis Jr. roast. This one is a bit of a time capsule. It features "colored" jokes that would never, ever fly today, but Sammy was right there in the middle of it, dishin' it back. It reflects a very specific, complicated era of Hollywood where the Rat Pack rules still applied: if we're friends, nothing is off-limits.
Why the Show Eventually Ended
The roasts didn't die because people stopped watching. They were a ratings juggernaut. But by 1984, things were changing. The MGM Grand fire in 1980 had already disrupted production (they used to film in the Ziegfeld Room in Las Vegas), and Dean's contract with NBC was coming to an end.
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More importantly, Dean was changing. After the tragic death of his son, Dean Paul Martin, in a 1987 plane crash, the "King of Cool" lost a lot of his sparkle. Even before that, by the final few roasts in '84, you can see him wearing those thick glasses, leaning more on the cue cards, and looking a bit tired of the whole circus.
How to Watch Them Now
If you want to see what all the fuss is about, you can actually find a lot of these online or through Shout! Studios, which released a massive 54-special DVD collection. Some are on streaming services like Tubi or Amazon Prime.
When you watch them, don't look for the high-octane, scripted precision of a Netflix special. Look for the mistakes. Look for the moments where Dean breaks character and laughs at a joke he wasn't expecting. That’s where the real magic was.
Actionable Insights for Comedy Fans
If you're a fan of comedy history or just want to understand where modern roasting comes from, here is how to dive in:
- Start with the Don Rickles Highlights: If you only have ten minutes, search for Rickles roasting Frank Sinatra or Dean himself. It’s a masterclass in "insult comedy" that manages to stay affectionate.
- Watch the Jimmy Stewart Roast: It’s arguably the most "wholesome" yet hilarious episode. Stewart’s slow, stuttering delivery against the chaos of the regulars is gold.
- Notice the Timing: Pay attention to how the comedians used silence. Foster Brooks was the master of the "long pause" while pretending to be tipsy. Modern comedy is often too fast; these guys knew how to let a joke breathe.
- Compare with Modern Roasts: Watch a 1975 roast and then a 2024 roast. You'll notice the old ones were 80% tribute and 20% insult. Today, that ratio is reversed.
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast wasn't just about the jokes. It was about a specific brand of American glamour that doesn't really exist anymore—where everyone had a drink, everyone had a tuxedo, and nobody took themselves too seriously.