Director: Joe DeMaio
A year of comedy gets the roast treatment in Torching, a 2024 stand-up special filmed live at The Bellwether in Los Angeles.
What is Torching about?
Built around a single night's taping, the special gathers a lineup of comedians to skewer the year's headlines, celebrities, and each other in rapid-fire sets. Jeffrey Ross anchors the roast format he's known for, while Hannah Berner and Tim Dillon bring their own distinct comic voices to the stage, trading bits that range from topical jabs to personal ribbing among the performers themselves. The format leans on quick turnover between comedians rather than a single extended set, giving the special a variety-show pace that keeps material moving from one target to the next across its runtime.
Cast & crew
Directed by Joe DeMaio, the special is led by Jeffrey Ross, with Hannah Berner and Tim Dillon rounding out the credited lineup. Each comedian performs a distinct segment, and the roast format means the cast frequently turns material toward one another as much as toward outside targets.
Context & significance
Year-end roast specials have become a recurring fixture on the stand-up circuit, typically filmed close to December and released quickly to capture topical material before it ages. At 42 minutes, Torching keeps a tight runtime consistent with single-night specials built for a quick, high-density set list rather than a full theatrical hour. The format's appeal rests on timing: material referencing the year's biggest stories loses its punch quickly, so these tapings are usually turned around and released within weeks of filming rather than sitting on a shelf, which is part of why the December taping date and the release year line up so closely here.
Where & how to watch
Torching is available to stream on K-Time with a free account login; the film's page can be browsed without signing in. K-Time's interface is built with Farsi-speaking audiences in mind, presenting English-language stand-up alongside a Persian-first browsing experience.