Finally, the complete series is coming out in a boxed set. But is it worth it?
Alas, many on the dais are now-forgotten B-listers. True superstars, like John Wayne, gamely recite bought and paid for jokes.
To my taste, the only comics who really hold up are George Burns, Jonathan Winters (in small doses) and, of course, Don Rickles.
I’ll also bet that for many younger, first time viewers, the most “offensive” aspects may well be the shameless smoking, and maybe Foster Brooks’ “drunk” routine.
Maybe, like so many things, we should savor the memory — the idea of — those Dean Martin Roasts rather than try to recapture their particular magic through binge viewing.
(Heck, the set’s 1970s brown and orange color scheme alone gave me a nervous rash.)
