The Showmax Roast of Helen Zille, one of the most anticipated events in South African comedy, is now available for streaming. The roast took place earlier this month at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg and is now premiering on Showmax from Friday, 16 May 2025.
What to expect from the roast
A comedy roast is a type of event where a group of celebrities, comedians, and public figures take turns making fun of one person—the “roastee.”
The jokes are meant to be harsh but humorous, and the whole idea is to laugh at someone in good spirit. At the end of the roast, the roastee gets a chance to respond with their own jokes.
Helen Zille, federal chairperson of the Democratic Alliance, took on the role of roastee and faced jokes from a star-studded panel. Co-hosts Tumi Morake and Trevor Gumbi led the evening with sharp comedy, and they were joined by a wide range of personalities including Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, comedian Loyiso Gola, political analyst JJ Tabane, musician Zwai Bala, author Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, and media personality Rian van Heerden.
Also on the panel were reality TV stars Mel Viljoen and Londie London from The Real Housewives, and satirist Coconut Kelz, who made a virtual appearance. The event was part of the Laugh Africa Comedy Festival, which was headlined by international comedian Faizon Love and celebrated comedy talent from across the continent.
Here’s what Helen Zille said about the comedy roast
Zille embraced the spirit of the roast and even shared a behind-the-scenes story about her bold fashion choice for the evening.
“When you are going to be the roastee at a Roast, you have to rise to the challenge,” she wrote, describing how her assistant and a relative worked overnight to create a sparkling dress for the occasion.
Zille joked about her past fashion fails, saying, “I was once awarded the title of ‘Worst Dressed Woman in SA.’” But she praised her team for giving her a stunning look that made her feel confident on the red carpet.
Speaking about the roast itself, she explained:
“It is a comedy concept imported from America which involves a panel of celebrities being as nasty as they can about the person in the hot-seat (in this case me). After which the roastee gets a chance to turn the tables.”
She summed it up simply: “It was all a whole lot of fun.”
How to watch the Helen Zille comedy roast in South Africa
The Roast of Helen Zille is now streaming exclusively on Showmax. To watch it, South African viewers need to have a Showmax subscription. Once signed up, they can stream the full event online using a smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or laptop.
