Patriots fans knew they had it good, better than any other NFL fanbase, for 20 years during the epic run of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. And while the current team is under renovation, fans have been treated to quite the offseason of premium streaming content inspired by those golden years, first with “The Dynasty'' series on Apple TV+, and now Netflix’s “The Roast of Tom Brady.”
Clocking in at just over three hours, or roughly the length of an NFL game, with plenty of hard hits, personal fouls and roughing of the passer, “The Roast of Tom Brady” was an R-rated, star-studded smash. Celebrities from the worlds of comedy, sports and Hollywood performed, and the crowd was loaded with VIPs galore. And for Patriots fans, reunions of Super Bowl champions don’t get much more glorious than this.
If it felt like there hadn’t been a good celebrity roast in some time (it’s been ages since Comedy Central last aired a new one), the “GROAT” or Greatest Roast Of All-Time certainly made up for it, all while giving football fans a peek at how the Patriots dynasty operated, and how people really felt about the living legend of TB12 and his compatriots. And his legendary former coach.
Nobody was off-limits, nor any aspect of Brady’s life, career and success. One former teammate after another, with a litany of headlining comedians and A-listers interspersed, came to the podium and let it fly, totally unfiltered. It was jaw-dropping and refreshing, as good roasts should be, all at once. Teammates like Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman went for it, with surprising success. Some of the biggest laughs at Brady’s expense came from the man he replaced under center, Drew Bledsoe.
Of all the comics, perhaps Nikki Glaser, a roast veteran with a savage wit beneath a starry smile, was the tops, like when she took out Brady and Gronk with one big joke.
There was quite a buzz when news broke last week that Bill Belichick would be in attendance, and he caught plenty of darts aimed his way, but gave it right back in a performance that validated the long-standing rumor that he has a sense of humor.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft was also in attendance, giving way to perhaps two of the most memorable and uncomfortable moments of the night: Tom Brady telling Jeff Ross to “cut that s**t out” in regards to jokes about Mr Kraft’s personal life…and then a toast between Kraft and Belichick at the podium (which led to Gronk spiking the shot glass later, injuring one person in the crowd). After 24 years together, Kraft and Belichick parted ways this offseason, so the potential for awkwardness was dialed up to say the least.
All roasts end with the guest of honor getting a chance to reply and have their say. So after taking barb after sling after arrow after attack for hours, Brady himself stepped up and delivered a long reply, making sure to hit back just about everyone who had fun at his expense, and maybe have some fun about some other myths and legends as well.
There was a lot of love and a lot of laughs in the room, a very large room (The Forum in Los Angeles, sold out for the show). Given the number of former Patriots teammates in attendance and those that performed, this roast in some ways felt like a form of closure to the greatest run by a franchise in NFL history.
For Patriots, NFL and comedy fans alike, the GROAT did not disappoint. Perhaps it will lead to more athletes and stars submitting themselves for the roast treatment soon, as well. Hey, if someone as famous as Brady can take it anyone should be able to, right?
Brady was tough enough to last 23 years in the NFL, so what’s three hours of being mercilessly mocked in front of a live international audience? Next up for TB12 is his Patriots Hall of Fame enshrinement June 12 at Gillette Stadium, that too promising to be a star-studded affair, likely a bit more appropriate for all audiences.
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