So when did making fun of people become an event in itself? It seems like an odd concept taken at face value, honoring someone by making fun of them. How did this all begin?
Although we do not know for sure when the first roast occurred, they were popularized by the Friar’s Club in the 1920s. The New York Friar’s club is a private club in New York with exclusive membership to celebrities and comedians that was founded in 1904. It first began tributing theatrical celebrities and this eventually came the roasting we know today.
In 1949, Maurice Chevalier, a popular vaudeville actor, became the subject of the likely first real roast. Before this, celebrities had been roasting in a more informal setting. And according to the Friar’s Club Website, “Add on to that the Friars motto, “We only Roast the ones we love” and even the guest of honor is happy.”
Dean Martin began including the roasts as part of his comedic variety show in 1973, and then NBC decided to let him make it into another venture- Dean Martin’s Celebrity Roast specials which aired from 1974-1984.
Comedy Central began airing the Friar’s club roasts from 1998-2002. Then they decided to start compiling their own roasts.
The idea of a roast has been imitated tremendously since they first became popularized.
Sources Used:
classicroasts 