Comedy Central honored comedian, sitcom star and all-around icon Roseanne Barr at its annual roast, held August 4, 2012. Appearing on the dais were roastmaster Jane Lynch, Anthony Jeselnik, Amy Schumer, the "roastmaster general" Jeff Ross, actresses Ellen Barkin, Katey Sagal and Carrie Fisher, Wayne Brady, Gilbert Gottfried and Seth Green. Roseanne's ex-husband, comedian Tom Arnold, made a surprise appearance as well, marking the first time the former couple was in the same room with one another in 18 years.
Here are the 25 best jokes, insults and one-liners from the Comedy Central Roast of Roseanne.
- "Carrie [Fisher] is here to put Roseanne's weight and drug problems into perspective." (Jane Lynch)
- "Wayne [Brady], you're going to hear a lot of jokes tonight about how you're not a "real" black man. But I want you to know...I still hid my purse." (Jane Lynch)
- "Roseanne, it's not your fault you were attracted to Tom [Arnold]. You thought with all that white powder on his upper lip, there must be a doughnut somewhere." (Jane Lynch)
- "By the way, Tom Arnold wanted to be here tonight, but at the last minute no one asked him." (Jane Lynch)
- "I'm sorry, I cannot stop looking at Ellen Barkin. You are so sexy. Jane, is it weird to see what you would look like as a woman?" (Amy Schumer)
- "Ellen Barkin is here. Ellen caught a lot of flak this year for dating a man half her age. So what? You're dating a 43 year old!" (Amy Schumer)
- "Jeff [Ross], you look worse than when I started this sentence. How did you do that?" (Amy Schumer)
- "Jeff Ross is an old friend. He's got a new show on Comedy Central where he roasts the news. It'll be perfect for people who find Jon Stewart too handsome and funny." (Seth Green)
- "Gilbert Gottfried, I don't know why you squint a lot. We're the ones who have to look at you." (Seth Green)
- "Amy Schumer. You know, this business can really be tough on women. Many of them develop eating disorders in an effort to be thin. It's just a suggestion." (Katey Sagal)
- "Seth [Green], you being here marks the first time that someone your size has been on Comedy Central without Jeff Dunham's hand up their ass." (Katey Sagal)
- "Is that Wayne Brady or did Al Jolson forget to take off his makeup? How did you make a career out of corporate team building exercises?" (Jeff Ross)
- "Ellen Barkin, you've always been ahead of your time. You were voted hottest woman over 50 at age 36." (Jeff Ross)
- (To Roseanne) "You have overcome a lot to make it in Hollywood, and that's why we love you: bad marriages, mental illness...plus, you look like Roseanne." (Wayne Brady)
- "I learned two things bumping into Seth Green backstage tonight. He is a big Star Wars fan, and I apparently was in Star Wars." (Carrie Fisher)
- "Anthony Jeselnik, I've heard that you are a pretty gutsy guy. You say what other rapists only think." (Carrie Fisher)
- "Wayne Brady, I don't understand why people keep joking that you're not black. Wayne Brady, you are black. After all, I only remember you for all the years you played an uppity slave on Whose Line Is It Anyway?." (Anthony Jeselnik)
- "Roseanne, even though you're a feminist icon, so many men have gotten rich off of you: Tom Arnold. John Goodman. The guy who owns The Cheesecake Factory." (Anthony Jeselnik)
- (To Jeff Ross) "I hear you have a new TV show. Don't you think you should say 'thank you' to Roseanne for paving the way for plus-size women to get their own TV shows?" (Ellen Barkin)
- "Katey [Sagal], my little Peg Bundy. How does it feel to go through life known as that little redhead who could never get laid? Seth Green, same question." (Ellen Barkin)
- "Now, Roseanne, I'm only here because Sharon Stone dropped out. And we all know how hilarious that c--t is." (Ellen Barkin)
- "I'm not here to tear Roseanne a new one, because I've seen the old one." (Tom Arnold)
- "You know, Rosie -- it's true -- she actually had 'Property of Tom Arnold' tattooed on her hip. Which made me the fourth largest property owner in California." (Tom Arnold)
- "Wayne Brady, you have single-handedly redefined improv. By scripting it." (Roseanne)
- "Jeff Ross is to third-rate comedians what Kim Kardashian is to no-talent fame whores: a HERO." (Roseanne)