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Historical Roasts
By Joyce Slaton,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Language and rude jokes in bland roasts of historical VIPs.
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Historical Roasts
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What's the Story?
After making a name for himself roasting celebrities for Comedy Central and the Friars Club, "roastmaster general" Jeffrey Ross takes on the annals of history for HISTORICAL ROASTS. Anne Frank, Freddie Mercury, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cleopatra are all among the VIPs of bygone days who take their place on the hot seat on the dais to be roasted by such past figures both notorious and beloved, like Adolf HItler (Gilbert Gottfried), Princess Diana (Fortune Feimster), and Barack Obama (Brandon T. Jackson).
Is It Any Good?
In a post-Drunk History era in which wringing comedy from olden times seems natural, pillorying public figures from the past sounds brilliant, but this show's mostly a swing and a miss. Part of the problem is the selection of historical luminaries being roasted: most people can laugh freely at Adolf Hitler, but working up a head of snark over Anne Frank, Abraham Lincoln, and Freddie Mercury isn't as easy. The roster of guest stars host Jeffrey Ross pulls for Historical Roasts is sparkling -- Seth Green as David Bowie, John Stamos as John Wilkes Booth, and Jaleel White as Muhammad Ali are highlights -- but the jokes they're given just don't land hard or often enough. What are you going to make fun of about Lincoln? His beard? His portrait on the penny? Ross and company do their level best, cracking wise about the Underground Railroad, Civil War-era dysentery, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter but they scare up mild laughs at best.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why people often like to mock important people and events in history. Do you have to know something about the figure being mocked to get the joke? Can humor help people process serious historical events?
Are any of the historical figures in Historical Roasts positive role models? What worthwhile qualities do they have? What less admirable qualities does this show mock?
Does watching this show ignite your curiosity about any one particular figure or event? What's your favorite way to do a deeper dive into history?
TV Details
- Premiere date: May 31, 2019
- Cast: Jeffrey Ross , Jaleel White , Seth Green
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: History
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 18, 2023
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