Hector Suarez, the legendary Mexican comedian, became the butt of every joke when Comedy Central aired the first ever roast of a Latin American figure Sunday night.
The event was hosted by Hector Suarez Gomís, the son of the roastee who is also a stand-up comedian and public figure in his own right, alongside a panel comprised mostly of low-key, public figures from Mexico's entertainment industry.
The weeks leading up to the roast were filled with speculation about who would be participating in the one-of-a-kind event as word got out that both Televisa and TV Azteca, México's largest television companies, had vetoed the program and would not allow any stars from their rosters to make an appearance.
Hector Suarez made light of the apparent lack of credentials of most of the participants as he took the stage and regretted that some friends and colleagues could not be there because "Emilio and Ricardo"---referencing the owners of Televisa and TV Azteca, respectively---would not permit them.
Most panelists tried to mirror the traditional American roast format in which crude jokes and openly insulting comments are made about the roastee and the rest of the participants. Suarez himself seemed confused at times and even unamused about the shocking and offensive nature of what was said at the event.
The most awkward moment, however, may have come at the end of the roast when Suarez had a chance to speak. In what seemed to be less a comedic routine to get back at the panelists who had spent the last hour roasting him and more an honest moment of disapproval, Suarez openly chided his son for making him a recurring subject of his stand-up routine over the years by portraying him as an alcoholic, abusive and absent father.
Comedy Central has only recently extended its operations to Latin America and chose Hector Suarez as the first roastee ever in the new market. And judging by the reactions in the online realm, the public response is mixed. While some applauded the roast format being introduced to Latin American audiences, some were critical of the comedic level and stated that the show was simply not funny.
Hector Suarez has been one of Mexico's leading television comedians over the years and is considered to be a sort of pioneer of sketch comedy in the country. Due to his outspoken nature he has clashed constantly with TV networks and executives, which has led to prolonged periods of inactivity on the screen. He currently has a show with the U.S.-based channel Estrella TV.