Public Speaking: The "Roast"

How to Roast a Friend, Co-Worker or Noted Personality

A roast is something you may find yourself being invited to do from time to time. Whether or not you know the person you’re doing the roast for, it’s always fun to do. A roast is simply using humor to jokingly insult and or make fun of a particular person. Roasts have a way of binding friends and associates more closely, and are often used as special events to raise funds for civic and charitable causes.

To accurately participate in a roast, you must first know and understand who you’re dealing with in both the person being roasted and the audience. You need to understand their conservativeness or liberality when it comes to languages, privacy offenses and others. While some people are generally profane and use words with glee and ease, others simply piously shy away from certain talks. Regardless of the composition of your group, it is always best to strike a balance. This will help everyone feel comfortable in the occasion.

The next thing you might want to know is which topic and specific areas to give the honoree a roast, and where exactly to find them. Now that too can be solved. Think about the person’s appearance, personal style, habits, job, likes and dislikes foibles, and the rest of them. There are so many topics to choose from. Just make sure you did not use any specific topic that sensitively relates to the roastee and/or his family, at least, keep within the limits.

You don’t have to sound really embarrassing, insolent and abusive in the game. Also, avoid discussing topics that are serious. A get together party or a cocktail party is the very perfect time to do wonderful roasts.

Don't forget what the roast is meant to be: a very free environment devoid of rancor and offense, where you shower the honoree with a jovial caricature of his/her memories and impressions.

If roast is correctly done, it will more perfectly integrate the organization as well as give the roastee a better honor and acceptance than just the usual appreciation and toasts he might have been getting previously.

Tom Antion, an accomplished professional speaker and author, has assembled hundreds of one-liners divided into dozens of topics. You can customize many of them to describe your "roastee." Click on speaker humor to check them out.

Tom also offers a tutorial for speakers who want to sharpen their skills at using humor during their presentations. Click on Make 'Em Laugh to learn more about it.

Finally, visit the article on how to write and deliver a funny speech that's included on this website.

Download a 28 page PDF report about making a dazzling presentation, written by one of the most successful public speakers in America? Click on Get Applause Now.