Last night, The Roast Of Tom Brady, cheekily nicknamed the G.R.O.A.T., was held at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, and I was in attendance. Whether or not you’ve had a chance to catch it on Netflix, you’ve likely now heard of the harsh and hilarious nonsense that came from one of the most vicious, vulgar and brutal roasts in recent history. This was a pretty risky move for Netflix, which is relatively new to live programming. Yet the audience tuning into the live show or the replay will see the full gamut of “non-P.C.” material that we were shocked to experience on that truly strange night inside the Forum.
What you can’t quite experience fully while catching the show on your TVs are the intense, shocking, and sometimes inappropriate reactions from the crowd. So let’s get into the biggest moments.
Nikki Glaser’s Set Got A Standing Ovation
Nikki Glaser is a well-respected comedian and, anyone who knows her work probably figured she would crush at this show. However, she truly went above and beyond what anyone could have expected. Glaser’s set was fairly early into the night, and she absolutely set the tone for the guests that followed. From insinuating that Rob Gronkowski was “slow,” to daring Tom Brady to get her off, Glaser got what was by far the most intense applause and sincere laughter from the audience.
The night's host, Kevin Hart, mentioned a “standing ovation” following her set, but what you couldn’t see was that the standing wasn’t limited to those on stage. There were thousands of people on their feet in the audience, and the energy was palpable. This was great for everyone but Gronk, who was quoted in the context of Glaser’s crypto joke as saying, “Me know that not real money,” and it quite possibly got the biggest laugh of the night. This was one of the greatest sets in roast history, and the audience knew what they were witnessing.
Kim Kardashian Got Booed Not Once, Not Twice, But Three Times
By now, you’ve likely heard that Kim Kardashian was booed by the audience, and it’s more than audible in the televised version. What you can’t hear is just how intense the booing was live in the moment -- and that it happened a number of times. When she appeared in the monitor above the stage that’s intended for the audience, she was scoffed at. When her name appeared in the credits, she was booed. For you to have heard it so clearly on Netflix really shows how loud it was, and you can see her surprise.
There was mostly press in the section where I was seated, and we were surprised as well. The Kardashians aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the audience was in rare form, showing their disdain in a major way. I suppose they are football fans, after all. Despite this, the crowd gave her the laughs and applause she was due when one of her jokes (or, one of her writer’s jokes), hit properly. Kim obviously tackled her and Tom Brady’s romance rumors and, by the time she was done, it seemed that the audience was on her side.
Bill Belichick And Robert Kraft Take A Shot Together
In a move that seemed rather improvised, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former Patriots coach Bill Belichick took a shot together, with Kraft even calling Belichick, “the greatest coach in the history of the game.” What you couldn’t see was that the crowd was losing their minds. This moment had people on their feet, not just to applaud the apparent squashing of a feud on live TV, but also just to get a better look at what football fans considered to be a historic moment.
The interesting part is that, prior to his set, Bill Belichick was consistently booed. There were plenty of jokes being made at his expense (most notably were consistent implications that he had no hand in building the Patriots dynasty) but, when he absolutely crushed his set during the roast, the crowd seemed to come back to his side. Similarly to Kim Kardashian, fans seemed to respect him for showing up and doing the damn thing. This awesome moment between him and Robert Kraft was really just icing on the cake.
Kevin Hart And Tom Brady Still Stole The Show
While standing for Kevin Hart’s entrance as host felt like more of a formality, this was something he came to earn. Hart was on fire throughout the whole evening, improvising jokes between sets at his fellow roasters’ expense, and helping to set the tone for what they would be getting away with… which it turns out was quite a lot. To say he was hard on Tom Brady would be an understatement and, despite being “on” for three hours, he was consistently turning in some of the biggest laughs of the night.
The man of the night, on the other hand, just had to smile and look pretty for most of those three hours. But, when it came time for him to play, he brought his A-game. The Super Bowl champion had apparently been wanting to get roasted for a while and, now, I see why. It’s not because he’s a great sport or because he needs the attention, it’s because he wanted to take some unfiltered shots at his former coaches and teammates.
For somebody who has more money than God and multiple lucrative side gigs, Tom Brady doesn’t need to do anything. He can just relax, date models and continue yachting with Leonardo DiCaprio. He was there because he wanted to be, and his time to shine went beautifully. We had been in our seats for hours by the time Brady went up to the microphone, and folks were tired. Still, thousands of people managed to bring themselves to their feet, not just because of Brady’s legacy, but because we learned that he really does know how to deliver a joke. As Brady himself put it:
Jeff Ross, I want to thank you for talking me into doing this, another thing that I’m great at. Who knew? Oh yeah, I did.
(Not So) Honorable Mentions: Ron Burgundy, Julian Edelman, and Randy Moss
You might be surprised to learn how stoked a 2024 crowd is to see Will Ferrell come out on stage as Ron Burgundy, a full 20 years after the character was first introduced. This entrance was one of the most sincere standing ovations of the night, and perhaps a sign that the character is still relevant enough to tackle the long-awaited Anchorman 3.
Julian Edelman also got his flowers from the crowd. If it’s not clear in the recorded version of the show, fans were blown away by the former Patriots wide-receiver’s set. His delivery was on-point, and folks rose to their feet to clap him off the microphone.
Randy Moss, on the other hand, did not have the most favorable reception. The crowd as a whole wasn’t booing him, but some angry fans were heard yelling out things like “fuck you” and “suck it” during the former wide receiver’s whole set. Let’s just say that there were a lot of Brady jerseys in the audience that night, so we can only assume this was all in the G.O.A.T.’s defense. Regardless, it was a little surprising to hear.
You can watch The Roast Of Tom Brady on Netflix right now! If this show is any indication of the streamer’s future in live content, things are looking bright. There are also a slew of other live shows lined up throughout the week as a part of the Netflix Is A Joke festival, and as for everything else that’s coming to the streamer this year, check out our 2024 Netflix schedule and stay updated.
