FOSTER BROOKS WALKS ONSTAGE WITH A STORY ABOUT HIS “OLD FLAME” LUCILLE BALL — AND THE ENTIRE ROOM STARTS LOSING IT.
There are celebrity roasts that rely on clever one-liners.
Then there are performances where the character telling the jokes becomes almost as funny as the jokes themselves.
Foster Brooks’ roast of Lucille Ball belongs firmly in that second category.
As part of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast honoring Lucille Ball, Brooks stepped onto the stage and presented himself as someone from Lucy’s distant past.
His story?
He claimed that he and Lucille Ball had been high school sweethearts.
And, naturally, Foster Brooks had apparently never gotten over her.
The result was a wonderfully ridiculous performance that perfectly captured Brooks’ signature comedy style.
Lucille Ball Was The “Woman Of The Hour”
The special was built around one of television comedy’s biggest stars.
Lucille Ball was the guest of honor, surrounded by an extraordinary lineup of entertainers.
Dean Martin served as roastmaster, while the dais included names such as Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Bob Hope, Don Rickles, Ginger Rogers, Vivian Vance, Phyllis Diller, Rich Little, Totie Fields, Gale Gordon, and Foster Brooks.
That lineup tells you immediately what kind of evening this was.
Nobody was there to give a quiet tribute.
They were there to celebrate Lucy by making fun of her.
And Foster Brooks had his own very unusual way of doing it.
Foster Brooks Had A Character Audiences Already Loved
By this point in his career, Foster Brooks was already famous for his deliberately exaggerated “lovable lush” character.
His comedy depended on a very specific combination of speech, timing, physical mannerisms, and apparent confusion.
He could make a simple sentence take forever.
He could pause at exactly the wrong moment.
He could stumble through a thought and somehow arrive at a perfect punchline.
But Brooks understood something important.
The character was not supposed to look like he was trying to be funny.
He had to believe every word.
That commitment made the absurdity much stronger.
Then Brooks Reveals His Connection To Lucy
Brooks begins his roast by addressing Lucille Ball as though they have a deeply personal history.
He presents himself as her old high school sweetheart.
According to the routine, Lucy was a cheerleader and Brooks was the captain of the football team.
He even claims that he remained faithful to her all those years.
That premise is already ridiculous.
But the real comedy comes from the way Brooks tells it.
He treats this imaginary romantic history with the seriousness of someone delivering a deeply emotional reunion.
And that contrast is exactly what makes it work.
“Big Red” Becomes Part Of The Joke
Brooks’ affectionate nickname for Lucy immediately establishes the tone.
He addresses her as “Big Red,” playing off Lucille Ball’s famously recognizable red hair.
The line works because Brooks behaves as though he has known her forever.
He is not treating her like a distant Hollywood legend.
