Media MonsterNCAA FootballWeird But True

Comedian Shows Up To Roast Dressed As Joe Paterno, Brings Two Shirtless “Boys” In Towels With Him

Jeff Ross is a funny man. Funny enough to be named “The Roastmaster General,” a title to which he has lived up to for his legendary roasts of Pamela Anderson, Flavor Flav, David Hasselhoff, Charlie Sheen, and others.

He’s hosting the upcoming roast of Roseanne on Comedy Central, and has already caused controversy for dropping a Colorado-shooting joke, which he didn’t want to apologize for (although the network did cut it from the show).

Oh, and he showed up on the red carpet dressed as the late Joe Paterno, with two “boys” on his arms, both of whom were wearing nothing but Penn State helmets and bath towels.

If you haven’t heard, Joe Paterno kinda-sorta didn’t report a child rapist at Penn State. So dressing up as him (and suggesting that you keep an entourage of semi-naked football players with you) is obviously the highest of high comedy.

From afar, I’m not laughing. But apparently he “was met with both gasps and peals of laughter from the assembled reporters and photographers.” So, some people liked it.

Some people will undoubtedly find this hilarious; many will be appalled, and many will fall somewhere in between. Regardless, The “Roastmaster” obviously meant no disrespect to any of the victims, and he explained why people shouldn’t freak out about this.

Yes, I crossed a line, and that is what the roasts are about. That’s what Roseanne is about — unapologetic comedy. If I had held back, I would have done her a disservice…

Explaining to reporters on the red carpet, Ross said that the “P” on his jacket stood for “People who can take a joke.” He went on, ‘If they’re offended by what they see, they can do what Joe Paterno did – look the other way.’

Good advice. And boom, roasted, Coach.

[Huffington Post; photo via]

Follow Matt Rudnitsky