In the glittering city of Las Vegas, two icons of entertainment collided in a whirlwind of humor and camaraderie. It was on the Dean Martin Roast Show that the great Foster Brooks stepped into the ring to roast none other than the legendary Muhammad Ali.
This larger-than-life event unfolded in a Las Vegas hotel showroom, where laughter and cheers echoed through the night. Foster Brooks, renowned for his impeccable comedic timing and impeccable character impersonations, decided to take on the persona of Ali’s personal boxing trainer.
As he delivered his punchlines, the audience erupted in uproarious laughter. Brooks’s impeccable timing and his ability to playfully taunt the legendary Ali were a testament to his comedic brilliance. The combination of Brooks’ inebriated trainer persona and Ali’s larger-than-life presence created an unforgettable moment in television history.
this guy was a genius of satire and irony. he treated each roasted guest with the same hilarious disrespect. the “collared greens” line is something only Foster Brooks could pull off. imo, everyone knew he was going for the humor. can’t say enough about the cross-currents in this bit.
I think people’s discomfort with Foster saying Brown clown is example of presentism. You can’t judge what someone said 40 years ago by today’s moral standards. I gather some may be offended for him mispronouncing his Muslim name, but he wasn’t making fun of the name. It was just something he did with everyone he roasted in keeping with his inebriated character.
Notice Dean’s subtle message to the Director to ‘cut’ Brooks short. Dean’s finger across his neck just above hie bow tie. It seemed to Dean that Brooks was dancing too close to the (racial) fire. Remember, one of Dean’s best friends was Sammy Davis. Dean as usually very sensitive, or better said ‘intolerant’ of racial jokes. That sensitivity seemed to have depended most upon how much he’d had to drink.
