In the world of comedy, the art of comedians using each other’s talents and comedic style to create laughter and entertain an audience can be seen in a format known as a “roast”. The Friars Club and Dean Martin are famously known for putting groups of comedians together in a room with a live audience and basically dismantle, with comedy, one of their peers who famously received ribbing and jokes at their expense.
One communication tool that these types of comedians utilize at these events is known as the Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT). Developed by Ernest Bormann, people share common fantasies and the collections of individuals are transformed into a cohesive group. This theory also allows theorists and practitioners to anticipate or predict what will happen and explain what did happen.
The subjects of a “roast” were well known public figures whose careers had spanned over many years and were noted for their talents in the art of comedy. One group that exemplified the use of a subject in order to expand an extended comedy routine were the personalities invited to participate on the dais whose job it was to jokingly critique and make fun of the special guest. The producers of these shows would gather top comedians and celebrities to deliver preset jokes or ad-lib jokes which would send the audience into rousing laughter and enjoyment. The celebrity status of these participants would only add to the excitement that these programs would generate when broadcast.
Linked above is a classic example of programming that was presented in the traditional style of a celebrity roast. The host in this video is Paul Shafer, who was the musical director for “The David Letterman Show”. His comedic talent was the glue that held the show together as he introduced other comedic talent to deliver the jokes that would push the buttons of the special guest. In some cases, these performers were intimately involved in the career of the special guest. Each entertainer would select different highlights from the career of Chevy Chase and explore comedy routines that would shed light on his career as well as entertain the live audience. The individual performers had some connection to Chevy and would, in comedy, give a special meaning to the accomplishments or the failures in the special guests’ career. They knew Chevy in a special way and would expose the audience to the inner stories within Chevy’s life. In the case of Beverly D’Angelo, she performed an original song that brought meaning to their relationship. Ms. D’Angelo had a special bond with Mr. Chase as they co-starred in several feature-length comedy films.
Ultimately, Chevy Chase was given his time to fire back comedic fireballs and jokes which targeted each of his detractors. In the final moments of these programs, the special guest and his roasters found common ground and expressed a special kind of relationship with one another that only true friends can express to each other in a sign of love and understanding.
Communication Theory 