10 Most Savage Roasts That Will Leave You Gagging

A montage of savage roasts
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Get ready to witness the sharpest verbal daggers and venomous witticisms in history with our countdown of the 10 Most Savage Roasts. These tongue-lashings have left their targets reeling, their egos shattered, and their reputations forever tarnished. From the cutting quips of Oscar Wilde to the devastating burns of Mark Twain, each roast is a testament to the power of language to both entertain and wound.

These verbal assaults aren’t for the faint of heart. They’re not meant to tickle funny bones but to cut through flesh and bone. The roasters in this list are masters of sarcasm, masters of insult, and masters of wielding words as weapons. Their targets are often pompous politicians, self-important celebrities, and anyone who dares to cross their path. Yet, amidst the savagery, there’s a perverse kind of admiration for the roasters’ audacity and skill. After all, it’s a rare talent to be able to turn someone’s insults into art.

Each of these roasts has become legendary, passed down through generations as a reminder of the power of words. They’re a testament to the fact that a well-crafted insult can be far more damaging than a physical blow. So, sit back, relax, and prepare to be amazed by the sheer brutality of these verbal assaults. But be warned, they may just leave you scarred…

Savage Slights

The realm of insults is vast and varied, with countless examples of verbal savagery throughout history. Here are some especially brutal and memorable slights:

1. Winston Churchill to Bessie Braddock

“Madam, would you stop interrupting me? You know, the only time you’ve been vertical is when you were airborne!”

2. Mark Twain to a Boston critic

“I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.”

3. Groucho Marx to a woman who claimed to be his first wife

“I have never forgotten the face, but I must apologize – I can’t remember the rest of you.”

4. George Bernard Shaw to Lady Astor

“If I married you, my lady, I’d be committing bigamy. You’re already married to three men: your butler, your chauffeur, and your bulldog.”

5. Dorothy Parker is known for her wicked wit and sharp tongue. Here are a few of her most famous and savage insults:

Quote	Recipient
“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.”	Noel Coward
“She runs the gamut of emotions from A to B.”	Tallulah Bankhead
“She’s the kind of girl who, if she were a horse, would come in second in a glue factory.”	Unidentified woman
“She said her husband was an authority on antiques. He knows antique furniture, and antique jewelry, and antique clothes. He knows all the good old things except ancient history.”	Unidentified woman
“She’s not a girl who has lost her head. She’s a girl who has never had one.”	Unidentified woman

Scathing Satire

9. Oscar Wilde on Lady Windermere’s Fans

Quote:
“I am not accustomed to being contradicted by anyone who is not a member of my family.”

Context: In his play “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” Wilde uses this line to poke fun at the character of the Duchess of Berwick, a pompous and self-important woman who is quick to dismiss the opinions of others.

Impact: Wilde’s witticism not only highlights the Duchess’s arrogance but also exposes the hypocrisy of Victorian society, which valued conformity and suppressed individuality.

Additional Details: Wilde was known for his sharp wit and acerbic tongue. He frequently used satire to criticize the social and moral conventions of his time. His plays, particularly “The Importance of Being Earnest,” are filled with quotable one-liners that have become part of the English language.

The Duchess of Berwick is a thinly veiled caricature of Lady Windermere herself, a woman who is consumed by her reputation and social status. Wilde’s roast of the Duchess is a clever and incisive commentary on the superficiality and vanity of high society.