On Saturday, March 14 comedians, rappers, athletes and Martha Stewart came together to crack jokes and poke fun at Justin Bieber during his Comedy Central Roast.
While the 21-year-old singer knew what he had gotten himself into, Biebs didn’t expect to get a huge slap in the face and a reality check after stars like Kevin Hart, Ludacris, Shaquille O’Neal, Chris D’Elia and Jeffrey Ross among others rolled with their punches.
Hart as a the roast master of the night kicked off with a couple nabs here and there and went on to comment about Selena Gomez’s absence stating she just “didn’t want to” and that she got word that Justin was dealing with Kendall Jenner. No harm, no shame right?
But when it was comedian Ross’ turn he went a couple steps further and insulted Selena even more so than JB.
“Selena Gomez wanted to be here, but she’s dating men now,” started Ross who is known for his widely inappropriate and insulting sense of humor. “Is it true that you dumped her because she grew a moustache before you?” continuing as he alluded that Selena used to have sex with Justin, “proving Mexicans will do the disgusting jobs Americans just won’t do.”
Be it so that Ross constantly stirs up controversy every time he is invited to be part of a Roast and more than once his jokes have forced Comedy Central to cut them from the final broadcast, but to go and take a jab at Selena and Mexicans who take “disgusting jobs Americans won’t do” is seen as inappropriate. Not only would Selena be offended but it’s insulting to the hard working Latino community who at times are belittled by their work options.
It’s understandable that it is a joke and that this is a Comedy Central Roast where comedians are allowed to go all out and harshly insult the roastee and audience members. But let’s also remember that Ross in the past has had to defend himself for crossing the line and even admitted it himself.
For example, in 2012 he compared Seth Green to the Aurora theater shooter James Holmes during the Roseanne Roast and was given backlash for the sensitive topic. He later stated that he had gone too far but, “That is what the roasts are about. That is what Roseanne is about, unapologetic comedy. If I held back, I would have done her a disservice… I think that this particular roast – in these particular times we are in – it is important to exercise freedom of speech.”
While on the other hand Roseanne did agree that he crossed the line but that, “comedy is about moving the line … And where is the line in a country that has freedom of speech? Maybe there isn’t one.”
Whether offended or not there is a bigger question nowadays, should race jokes be allowed, taken seriously, only be told by a person of that race and how far is too far?
We saw what happened with Emmy-winner host Rodner Figueroa from Univision who commented about how First Lady Michelle Obama looked “like a cast member of ‘The Planet of the Apes’” and immediately got terminated the next day. Then there was Giuliana Rancic who joked that Zendaya’s hair at the Oscars looked like it “smelled like patchouli oil and weed” and was forced to apologize only to have co-workers Kelly Osbourne and Kathy Griffith resign from “Fashion Police.”
Just hearing about these race-related “jokes” we see that at this time and age they are becoming less accepted and people and companies are not putting up with them. So to have Ross come in and target Selena’s race in a demeaning manner is not tolerated being that the targets are being dehumanized and used as a means to get a couple of laughs. For now we’ll have to see if Ross is edited in the Comedy Central special that airs Monday, March 30.
What are your thoughts on Ross’ comments made and race jokes?
I cannot believe that no Mexican, no Mexican-American,and no other Hispanic ever says anything when our culture is insulted. This supposed comedian, Jeff Ross, is a jerk and a low-level comedian if he’s got to insult people in order to get a laugh. There are hundreds of thousands of Mexican-Americans who are well educated and hold professional jobs and are performing way better serivice to others in this country than you, JJeff Ross.
Who wrote this article? Mexicans, Latinos. or Hispanic we have a good sense of humor and know how to laugh at ourselves. Jeff Ross’s jokes were great about Selena and the disgusting jobs Americans just won’t do. I’ll be thinking and laughing at that joke when I need a pick me up at work tomorrow. Funny is funny.
That joke is very inAppropriate it implies that salena is not an American. She is just as American as jeff ross. And why is it ok for people to leave out the American when talking about some one born here with Mexican heritage. It wouldnt be ok to leave out the american if talking about kevin heart. You wouldn’t just say African.