A roast is an event, almost exclusively in the United States, in which an individual is subjected to a public presentation of comedic insults, vulgar speech, nasty naming calling, outlandish true and untrue stories, are used in a form of humor. 

The insults, the cursing, the profanity, the using of the “F***” word in the show are referred to as a “roast.” The host of the event is called the “roastmaster.” Anyone who is honored in such a way is said to have been “roasted.”

The implication being that the roastee (the person who is being insulted) is able to take the jokes in good humor and not as serious criticism or insult. 

It is seen by some as a great honor to be roasted, as the individual is surrounded by friends, fans, and well-wishers, who can receive some of the same treatment as well during the course of the evening. 

The purpose of the show:
Uncensored vulgar humor full of profanity, which is designed to stimulate and influence the primitive part of the human brain.
The show consists of celebrities who are insulting and making a full of themselves in front of the national TV, while the fans that worship them as their role models are watching.

The influence deriving from the show has given a legal license to violence, verbal abuse, prejudice, cursing and the treating of women as prostitutes in the society. 

Many attempts have been made to adapt the format to a British audience. Channel 4 launched the latest British version on 7 April 2010 with A Comedy Roast, with initial victims being Bruce Forsyth, Sharon Osbourne and Chris Tarrant.