Preparations for the “Comedy Central Roast of Steve Hofmeyr” are warming up nicely as Comedy Central reveals that tickets for the sizzling hot comedy event go on sale on Monday 23 July at 15:30.

To encourage comedy fans to buy tickets to the show, the channel has revealed three of the eight celebrity Roasters who will feature in the show: top comedians Casper de Vries and John Vlismas, and outspoken entertainment journalist Kuli Roberts will all be tasked with delivering barbed comments, cutting jokes and outrageous tributes to Hofmeyr, the evergreen actor, musician, talk show host, activist, poet and blogger who polarises opinion across South Africa.

Comedy Central will release details of the celebrity Roastmaster and five other Roasters in due course.

“The Comedy Central Roast Of Steve Hofmeyr” will be recorded at The Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City, Johannesburg on 11 September 2012 in front of a live audience. A limited number of tickets for “The Comedy Central Roast of Steve Hofmeyr” will go on sale at from 15:30 on Monday 23 July, priced from R350 via Computicket.

Commented Casper de Vries, “I’m very excited! I’ve got my marinade, I’ve got my recipe: all we need now is the Roast!”

De Vries continued, “I have been friends with Steve since the dawn of time. We’re not best buddies, but do see each other from time to time and respect one another. I am a big fan of the Comedy Central Roasts and I have seen nearly every single one. I think I’m ready and love the format of these Roasts. It would be beneficial for the Roastee (Steve) to be on an intravenous supply of alcohol or something similar, because these Roasts do tend to get bitchy with an orgy of puns and friendly insults. Somehow, I don’t think Steve would mind an orgy… “

Said Kuli Roberts, “I am honoured to be recognised as a valuable member of the South African Personalities Guild. S*** – wrong speech. Anyhoo, I like Steve and this will, be hard. But since I like hard, this should be fun.”

In an open letter to Steve Hofmeyr, John Vlismas wrote:

Dear Mr Hofmeyr

As a professional humorist, it is with baited breath and huge gratitude that I accepted the invitation to heap scorn and humiliation upon you at the below mentioned appointment.
I know you feel that I am not that funny, well, I suppose we all have an opinion. I have chosen to save mine for the Lyric Theatre stage. I look forward to full disclosure thereof thereon.
All the best to you and your family, wherever they may be.

JOHN VLISMAS

The “The Comedy Central Roast of Steve Hofmeyr” will premiere on TV on Comedy Central (DStv Channel 122) on Monday 24 September 2012 at 21:00.