How 14 Celebrities Responded To Jokes At Their Expense
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Celebrities often become punchlines for comedians. Their highly public lives make them familiar to audiences (and easy targets). As celebrities themselves, comedians may assume that the jokes made at the expense of their colleagues will be taken in stride.
However, sometimes, these jokes go a little too far and become more controversial and offensive than they are funny. As celebrities feign nonchalance or even laugh through the uncomfortable comments made at their expense, it's sometimes later revealed that they weren't happy about being mocked for a few seconds of laughs. Still, others can shake the comments off, recognizing the entertainment value in being the butt of the joke.
Here is what some of the biggest celebrities have said about being on the receiving end of some of the most infamous public roasts.
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The Offending Joke: Ricky Gervais remarked on Ben Affleck's rumored infidelity (the actor had separated from wife Jennifer Garner) during the 2016 Golden Globes. Introducing the Gone Girl star's best friend, Matt Damon, Gervais joked, “He’s also the only person who Ben Affleck hasn’t been unfaithful to. Please welcome Matt Damon.”
The Butt-Of-The-Joke's Reaction: Affleck took the joke in stride, laughing in his response, “It’s the way Ricky Gervais perceives me, I suppose… Whatever. I’ve had jokes made at my expense before. It’s part of the deal.”
Garner didn't take the comments personally, either, saying, “I laughed… People have pain — they do regrettable things, they feel shame, and shame equals pain… No one needs to hate him for me. I don’t hate him. Certainly we don’t have to beat the guy up.”
A reasonable reaction?
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The Offending Joke: During his now-infamous hosting of the 2011 Golden Globes, Ricky Gervais introduced Robert Downey Jr. with a list of his film credits, followed by, “…but many of you in this room probably know him best from such facilities as The Betty Ford Clinic and Los Angeles County Jail.”
The Butt-Of-The-Joke's Reaction: Upon taking his place on the stage, Robert Downey Jr. quipped, “Aside from the fact that it’s been hugely mean-spirited with mildly sinister undertones, I’d say the vibe of the show has been pretty good so far, wouldn’t you?”
The Rebuttal: After media outrage over Gervais's comments, the comedian revealed on his blog that his jokes about Downey Jr., along with the many other actors and performers he roasted on stage that night, were all pre-rehearsed and approved by them beforehand:
“All the same conspiracy theories as last year too... ‘So and so was offended’... 'hasn't been invited back yet'... exactly the same as last time. ‘Paul McCartney was furious’... no he wasn't. And nor was Tim Allen and Tom Hanks. I was drinking with them after.”
A reasonable reaction?- Photo:
- Behind The Velvet Rope TV
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The Offending Joke: Bob Saget's Full House co-star, John Stamos, offered a low blow during the late star's Comedy Central roast, by poking at his relationship with the youngest stars on set, the Olsen twins:
“The whole time Bob and I were doing Full House, he was also hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos… His entire job consisted of saying ‘Take a look at this’ which is what he used to say to Mary-Kate in her dressing room.”
The Butt-Of-The-Joke's Reaction: While Saget was known for his own raunchy comedy, he didn't appreciate the many roast jokes that involved his younger co-stars, saying, “Anybody who talks about my TV kids – that upsets me the most… I am very protective. I love them very, very much.”
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- The Tourist
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The Offending Joke: As part of his act at the 2011 Golden Globes, Ricky Gervais commented on Johnny Depp's film with Angelina Jolie that year, “It seems like everything this year was three dimensional – except the characters in The Tourist.”
The film was a recurring punchline for Gervais that night, who jokingly claimed, “The only reason The Tourist was nominated was so that the Hollywood Foreign Press could hang out with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.”
The Butt-Of-The-Joke's Reaction: While rumors circulated that Depp and Jolie were miffed by the targeting, Depp appeared in Gervais's HBO special, Life's Too Short, where he got in on the joke. In the episode, Depp gets revenge on Gervais for "trashing [him] in front of 200 million people at the Golden Globes” with his own list of zingers:
What is nastier than Ricky Gervais's jokes? His teeth.
Why do people take an instant dislike to Ricky Gervais? Because it saves time!
Now this is from Angelina: “Tell Ricky Gervais that me and Brad have a picture of him on our mantle piece because he keeps the kids away from the fire.”
And why isn't Ricky Gervais circumcised? Because there's no end to the pr**k.
Ricky Gervais quit Twitter recently because it only has 140 characters. Well, that's 139 more characters than he's ever come up with.
A reasonable reaction?- Photo:
![Mike Meyers & Dana Carvey Vs. The Clintons]()
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The Offending Joke: During a 1992 Wayne's World sketch, actors Mike Myers and Dana Carvey took the opportunity to judge the looks of the daughters of then-President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore. This type of material on Saturday Night Live may not have caused any raised eyebrows at the time, except that Chelsea Clinton was barely a teenager.
In the skit, which has since been edited, the duo jokes: “[Gore's daughters are] babe-a-licious… If they were a president, they’d be Babe-raham Lincoln… Chelsea… well, she’s a babe in development.”
The Butt-Of-The-Joke's Reaction: As many parents might be, Clinton was unhappy with the comments directed toward his daughter, stating,
“You know, I really find it hilarious when they make fun of me. The Saturday Night Live skit where I was in McDonald’s talking about Somalia - I thought that was hilarious… But I think you gotta be pretty insensitive to make fun of an adolescent child. I think there is something pretty off-center with people who do that…”
The Rebuttal: Myers later apologized for his insensitive comments, which SNL producer Lorne Michaels echoed while explaining why the joke was later removed, “We felt, upon reflection, that if it was in any way hurtful, it wasn’t worth it… She’s a kid, a kid who didn’t choose to be in public life.”
A reasonable reaction?![Seth MacFarlane Vs. Jennifer Lawrence]()
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The Offending Joke: Host Seth MacFarlane's “Boob Song” was the controversial moment of the 2013 Academy Awards, as he chose to remind the audience of the female A-listers who acted in topless scenes - dismissing any sensitivity to the subject content of the films they starred in:
"Meryl Streep, we saw your boobs in Silkwood
Naomi Watts' in Mulholland Drive
Angelina Jolie, we saw your boobs in Gia
They made us feel excited and alive
Anne Hathaway, we saw your boobs in Brokeback Mountain
Halle Berry, we saw them in Monster's Ball
Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut
Marisa Tomei in The Wrestler, but
We haven't seen Jennifer Lawrence's boobs at all."The Butt-Of-The-Joke's Reaction: While critics found MacFarlane's song dismissive and creepy, Jennifer Lawrence commented, “I loved the boob song, I thought [Seth MacFarlane] was great!”
A reasonable reaction?
