[Fredslist] An unusually funny and dirty Wed. afternoon with some friars

[David Abeshouse]

Gotham: 

 

I spent 3 hours this afternoon with (allegedly) 2,200 other people at the NY
Friars Club "Roast" of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, at the Grand Ballroom
(no jokes, please) of the NY Hilton at 54th and 6th.  Actor Samuel L.
Jackson was the "RoastMaster."  A good time was had by all, including the
"Honoree" (an ironic term for the Roastee, who verbally gets the heck kicked
out of him by his "friends" and colleagues, as well as a few professional
comedians).  Actually, anyone on the dais (living or dead) is fair game for
whichever Roaster has the podium and therefore the microphone. 

 

The Friars Club, founded in 1904 (long after some current members were born)
has been presenting Roasts of famous entertainment icons for many years
(e.g., Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Johnny Carson, Jerry Lewis - who at age 84
spoke toward the end of today's Roast, and by the time he finished, he'd
turned 87 - and Don Rickles, to name a few).   Friars Roasts have a long and
rich history, most of which is not suitable for TV (with the exception of
some cable channels).   This Roast encompassed some considerable charitable
elements, in a variety of respects, including fundraising for children and
recognition of Wounded Warriors (about 50 of the latter were in attendance,
courtesy of the Friars Foundation; it probably was a good thing that no
children were present).  

 

This was the second Roast I've attended.  My first was the Oct. 2008 Roast
of NBC-TV's Today show host Matt Lauer, also at the Hilton. 

 

Much of the flavor or feel of a particular Roast depends on who the
Roastee/Honoree is, and thus who his or her friends are (as well as on the
magnitude of their vocabulary of 5+ letter words).  Unfortunately I can't
repeat any of the jokes here, as this is a family show, as they say.
Anyway, most of the humor is in the moment and probably would get somewhat
lost in translation to the written word on the page.  

 

Fred Klein circulated on FredsList yesterday an article in the NY Times
(online November 30, 2010) entitled, "Hey, Some Friars Members Are Younger
Than the Jokes" - it provides some additional background info:  

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/30/hey-some-friars-members-are-you
nger-than-the-jokes/#more-249649 

 

A few sample descriptive lines from the article: 

 

Jeffrey Ross, 45, a comedian, has been a member since 1995. "My first joke
at a Friars Roast - this is when the club really had a lot of older people -
I said: 'Look at this place. I've seen younger faces on cash.' " 

With comedians like Sarah Silverman and Lisa Lampanelli as members and
participants, the Roasts remain as blue and brutal as when Jack Benny once
said: "My wife, Mary, hates these stag luncheons. I didn't even dare tell
her that I came here today. She thinks I'm in a whorehouse."

"The only way to hear more four-letter words than at a Friars Roast is to
start dating Mel Gibson," Ms. Lampanelli said.  "Let's put it this way," she
continued. "A Friars Club Roast is a great place to bring a drunken sailor
who wants to learn some new words." 

 

Yes, it's rather "dirty" and yes, it's funny... often very funny.  There
were many laugh-out-loud moments.  And also some groaners (or silence, as
the audience tried to decide whether a particular line had any redeeming
humor value at all).  

 

OK, so who was there?  Well, for starters, there was a great turnout of
Gothamites and their guests.  Fred, of course, sits on the dais, in his
capacity as Treasurer of the Friars Club.  For better or worse, he doesn't
get to Roast anyone.  He does take a lot of backstage photos, and posts them
on FredsList.  

 

There were, by my count, approximately 10 Gotham tables - about 100 people -
split between the upper and lower levels of the Ballroom.    

 

Reciting the list of dais denizens is a name-dropper's (censored) dream.
The other dais members who didn't take the podium included: Danny Aiello,
Patricia Arquette, Steve Buscemi, Neve Campbell, Dick Cavett, Rosario
Dawson, Eli Wallach, Cheech Marin, Joe Panteleone, Harvey Weinstein, and
others.  

 

Also in attendance (not on the dais) were: Harry Belafonte, Howard and Beth
Stern, Robin Quivers, Drew Nieporent, Jackie Martling, Gilbert Gottfried,
Frankie ("Frankie No") Pelligrino of Rao's, Neil Sedaka, Robert Wuhl, and
Smokin' Joe Frazier.   

 

The proceedings began with Kristen Chenowith, of Broadway fame, singing the
national anthem.  Freddie Roman, the Friars Club Dean and the afternoon's
announcer/introductions host, listed some of the luminaries in attendance.
Then the Roasting began in earnest.  Roasters included: Richard Belzer, Uma
Thurman, Jeffrey Ross, Rob Schneider, Sarah Silverman, Kathy Griffin,
Michael Madsen, Whitney Cummings, Eli Roth, Stewie Stone, Harvey Keitel, and
Pat Cooper, among others.   

 

One Roaster after another took the mic.  Each was there for different
reasons based on their relationship to Quentin Tarantino, and ranged from
seasoned and smooth to adequate to a couple who were clumsy and
uncomfortable.  Some actors unintentionally demonstrated just how important
writers are to their success.  Some novices pulled it off creditably.  Most
did not overstay their welcome at the podium.  Notably, Uma removed her
shoes, and she and Quentin clinked shoes, and drank wine from them.  The
rest of us had chicken. 

 

It's always a friggin' good time.       

 

 

David J. Abeshouse

Law Office of David Abeshouse 

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Uniondale, New York 11556 

Ph: 516-229-2360 | Fax: 516-229-2361 

Business Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution | Arbitrator/Mediator

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