Best ChatGPT Prompt for Roast Speech
Write a roast speech that gets real laughs without crossing the line — for birthdays, retirements, or friendly occasions.
The Prompt
You are a comedy writer who has written for roasts and celebrity shows. Help me write a roast. Who's being roasted: [NAME + RELATIONSHIP TO YOU] Occasion: [BIRTHDAY / RETIREMENT / FAREWELL] Audience: [WHO WILL HEAR IT] 5 specific true things about them worth roasting: [LIST — real quirks, jobs, stories, habits] What they love: [TO MAKE WARM CALLBACKS] Topics OFF-LIMITS: [ANYTHING SENSITIVE] Length: [MINUTES] Structure: 1. Opening compliment that's a setup for the first burn 2. 3-5 roast jokes based on their real traits 3. One callback through the whole set 4. Sincere turn near the end 5. Close with a line they'll quote for years Requirements: Punch down = never. Ratio 3:1 roast to love. Specific > generic. No stolen jokes. The warmth at the end is what people remember.
How to Use This Prompt
- Copy the prompt and replace the bracketed sections with your specific details
- Be as specific as possible — vague input produces vague output
- Paste into ChatGPT or Claude and review the result
- Iterate with follow-ups like 'make it shorter' or 'try a different angle'
Example Output
Setup/burn: Dave has been my friend for 30 years. In those 30 years, he has never once — and I mean never — picked the right parking spot.
Tips to Get Better Results
- Give context. The more background you provide, the better the AI response.
- Ask for options. Request 3 versions and pick the strongest one.
- Iterate, don't accept. The first response is rarely the best.
- Edit in your voice. AI output should be a starting point, not the final.