Comedy can take on many forms but one of the strangest is the roast. It is something that appears mean spirited and hurtful but it the participants are able to hold on to a good sense of humor it can be one of the funniest comic formats around; basically a group of people gather together to make fun of a subject; usually a close friend or co-worker. It got its start in the 1920’s with the much lauded Friar’s Club where members would place one of their own at the center of a dais and take turns ripping him apart. The comedy is always raunchy and frequently passes the boundaries of good taste. It is all in fun and it was considered a high honor to be roasted by the Friars. In the sixties Dean Martin became America’s roast master general with a series of televised roast. Naturally considering the times these TV specials were a bit blue but the material shown on air was fairly tame. The format is popular among non professional comedians. It is a part of most bachelor parties and is frequently a component of many male dominated gatherings. The fact is guys enjoy a good jab at one another. Now with cable networks taking over a large portion of the comedy world the roast has been resurrected by Comedy Central. Over the past few years they have had roast specials that featured various well know celebrities. True to the old Friar’s Club days there is plenty of evidence of overindulgences of alcoholic beverages being consumed on the set. This has become almost an annular event that the fans greatly anticipate. In the past the targets have included William Shatner, Dennis Leary and Pamela Anderson. The latest victim to take the central seat was Bob Saget. He was best known as the overly tidy father of three girls on the long running ABC hit television series ‘Full House’. On that show he became one of the most popular TV fathers but this roast shows a far different side of the comedian. One thing about most of the original programming that airs on Comedy Central. While it is ‘bleeped’ and censored during regular viewing hours they often show the uncensored form after 1 a.m. Comedy Central then goes on to release an uncensored DVD a few months later. The disc for the Bob Saget roast is now available and it is hysterical. This is not the type of humor intended for anyone that is easily offended. The friends and colleagues of Saget let loose with some of the most insulting jokes you could possibly imagine.

Since Saget has such a family friendly persona thanks to ‘Full House’ and his hosting spot on ‘America's Funniest Home Videos’, it may come as a surprise to many that he is a comedian that frequently employs material in his stand up act that is considered close to obscene. His act is full of profanity and sexual references. He recently show off this side in a parody of the hit film ‘March of the Penguins’ called ‘Farce of the Penguins’ which was definitely not for the whole family. One thing about roast is they do demonstrate a great sense of self deprecating humor by all involved; especially the subject. The insults are rattled as if fired from a machine gun. IF you don’t like a particular joke just wait a couple of seconds and a new joke will be there. If you have kids in your home that enjoy ‘Full House’ hid this disc from them. This is not the loveable Danny Tanner, it is Bob Saget and his friends at their most over the top behavior.

A roast can succeed or fail by the talents of the man who takes on the responsibility of the roast master. It is up to him to keep the guests moving along and fill in the introductions with insults of whoever is taking the stage next. For this roast this task fell to Saget’s ‘Full House’ co-star John Stamos. The setting here is the same as most Comedy Central roasts. To one side are a series of couches and easy chairs with a podium center stage. Behind the podium is the seat of dishonor where the night’s target will observe the proceedings. Behind the couches is a wet bat with two young ladies serving drinks to the participants. As Stamos takes the stage the camera pans to the audience to show the table right up front. Sitting at it are other former ‘Full House’ cast mates Lori Loughlin, Dave Coulier and Jodie Sweetin. Stamos begins by listing Saget’s accomplishments; actor, director, author and incomparable show business whore. Stamos warns that this is not a case where Uncle Jessie and Danny Tanner find a gentle way to help little Michelle. Stamos has waited twenty years to tear up this neurotic, foul mouth pain. They kick things off with some old clips of Saget at the start of his career. One has him doing stand up with Tom Hanks. The show Saget making as if he is doing drugs and talking about having sex with Kimmy Gibbler. Stamos introduces Saget and off to the side of the platform a fake elevator door opens. Out of it comes two beautiful young women pulling their clothes back on; an old lady also getting dressed and a goat followed by Saget zipping up his pants.

The first comic up is Greg Giraldo. It appears that there is a regulation that he has to appear in every roast and most of the other shows that Comedy Central shows. He immediately sets out on Stamos giving examples of less than manly aspects of his career. Giraldo also chides Stamos for getting divorced by a beautiful super model so she could marry the fat kid from ‘Stand By Me’. The usual format for a roast is for the speaker to first go down the line of guests and warm up by insulting them before setting their sights on the subject. Next up is former SNL star Jon Lovitz whose set is almost entirely gay jokes aimed at Saget. One of the funnier segments featured Susie Essman from ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’. She rips into her fellow roasters with a complete disregard for any semblance of good taste. She tells Saget that she met his girlfriend and one thing you can say about her is she isn’t out to have se with a star. Well, she actually used different words that would be inappropriate here. Actually, almost none of the jokes are such that could be quoted for a general audience. The broadcast version of this roast had to be one long, constant bleep. Pone surprise guest roaster was Cloris Leachman. She breaks apart her clean cut image with a routine that can match any other for going blue. After all the roasters have had their go at Saget it is his turn for a rebuttal. In typical fashion he lets loose with words and concepts that would never be allowed on a family show.

The DVD is funny and the perfect thing top play when you have some friends over. Just make sure the kiddies are asleep or at grandmas. The disc contains the usual bonuses for a Comedy Central roast including some backstage antics and an interview with Bob Saget.