How to Roast a Friend, Co-Worker Or Noted Personality
You may be asked to participate in or even help organize a "roast" at some point in your life.
The roast maybe of a person that you know well, or maybe someone you don't know at all.
A roast is like a speech or a long toast about a person, using harsh, cutting, humorously insulting humor to "skewer" or "poke fun at" said person.
They can be very fun and funny and actually serve to increase a feeling of ease and social binding between friends or associates.
The first important step in participating in or organizing a roast is to get an accurate feel for the sensibility of the person and crowd.
Are they more conservative or more liberal about language, ideas, private life and so forth.
Are they especially profane, with an anything-goes mentality or are they quite piously religious and refrain from using even light curse words.
Keeping the roast jokes within correct limits for the taste and sensibility of the crowd will help to guarantee an effective roast that will help everyone involved feel comfortable and still appreciative of the great, light-hearted humor of the event.
Where does one start in finding specific topics about which to roast the honoree? How about his or her appearance, attire, personal style, job, habits, foibles, likes and dislikes, extreme habits, relationships, work history, speaking style, favorite sayings or phrases, eating habits, etc.
? make sure that no specific topic is extremely sensitive to the roastee and/or his immediate family, so much so that it is is really "off-limits.
" As long as you stay away from truly horribly embarrassing or deadly serious topics, things which might seem unduly harsh or insulting at a business meeting, casual get-together or cocktail party will likely make excellent fodder for your roast.
Remember, the idea behind a roast is a cringe-free, consequence-free environment in which to shower the honoree with attention and regale them with memories and impressions, albeit through the prism of back-handed teasing and poking.
If done correctly, the warm attention and honor the person is receiving, seated in the famous "hot seat," more than compensates for the good-natured ribbing he or she receives at the hands of his or her friends, family or colleagues.
The roast maybe of a person that you know well, or maybe someone you don't know at all.
A roast is like a speech or a long toast about a person, using harsh, cutting, humorously insulting humor to "skewer" or "poke fun at" said person.
They can be very fun and funny and actually serve to increase a feeling of ease and social binding between friends or associates.
The first important step in participating in or organizing a roast is to get an accurate feel for the sensibility of the person and crowd.
Are they more conservative or more liberal about language, ideas, private life and so forth.
Are they especially profane, with an anything-goes mentality or are they quite piously religious and refrain from using even light curse words.
Keeping the roast jokes within correct limits for the taste and sensibility of the crowd will help to guarantee an effective roast that will help everyone involved feel comfortable and still appreciative of the great, light-hearted humor of the event.
Where does one start in finding specific topics about which to roast the honoree? How about his or her appearance, attire, personal style, job, habits, foibles, likes and dislikes, extreme habits, relationships, work history, speaking style, favorite sayings or phrases, eating habits, etc.
? make sure that no specific topic is extremely sensitive to the roastee and/or his immediate family, so much so that it is is really "off-limits.
" As long as you stay away from truly horribly embarrassing or deadly serious topics, things which might seem unduly harsh or insulting at a business meeting, casual get-together or cocktail party will likely make excellent fodder for your roast.
Remember, the idea behind a roast is a cringe-free, consequence-free environment in which to shower the honoree with attention and regale them with memories and impressions, albeit through the prism of back-handed teasing and poking.
If done correctly, the warm attention and honor the person is receiving, seated in the famous "hot seat," more than compensates for the good-natured ribbing he or she receives at the hands of his or her friends, family or colleagues.
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