Comedian Jeff Ross, known for his longtime role as Roastmaster for television’s infamous Celebrity Roasts, is coming to Broadway with a new theatrical one-man show called Jeff Ross: Take A Banana For The Ride.
Although a venue and production date has not be disclosed, the limited engagement in a legitimate Broadway venue will follow an eight-city summer tour of the show in Hard Rock hotels and casinos.
“Ever since my Aunt Bess took me to see Jackie Mason on Broadway when I was young, I’ve daydreamed about performing my own classy and uncensored one-man show,” said Ross in a statement. “I’m honored and excited by the opportunity to share my origin story of how I became the motherf*n Roastmaster General.”
Ross continued, “This new show is designed to be a cathartic experience shared with others – I encourage you to bring friends that you care about, people that might be going through tough times. I will shake them out of it with an evening of uncensored jokes, uplifting stories, songs and even some live roasting of the bravest volunteers.”
The announcement describes the show as “a hilarious and cathartic comedic experience about life and human resilience” and an “exhilaratingly intimate one-man show [that] offers a peeled back look into the heart and soul of America’s Roastmaster – but don’t expect to get away un-skewered.” Ross says the title of the show comes from “his beloved grandfather’s practical and loving travel advice.”
The show was workshopped at the 2024 Netflix Is a Joke Festival, drawing plugs from Jimmy Kimmel (“A very moving, very personal story…this beautiful show unveils a side of Jeff you will not forget”) and John Stamos “To see him master both the art of humor and the depth of drama is nothing short of remarkable.”)
Prior to the Broadway engagement, Jeff Ross: Take A Banana For The Ride will play Hard Rock venues in eight cities across the country this summer, from June 27 – July 27, 2025:
• Bristol, VA – Friday, June 27, 2025 – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
• Cincinnati, OH – Saturday, June 28, 2025 – Hard Rock Casino Cincinnati
• Gary, IN – Friday, July 11, 2025 – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
• Rockford, IL – Saturday, July 12, 2025 – Hard Rock Casino Rockford
• Atlantic City, NJ – Friday, July 18, 2025 & Saturday, July 19, 2025 – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
• Tampa, FL – Thursday, July 24, 2025 – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
• Orlando, FL – Friday, July 25, 2025 – Hard Rock Live Orlando
• Hollywood, FL – Sunday, July 27, 2025 – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
Take A Banana For The Ride is produced by Eric Nederlander, Robert Nederlander Jr., Marc Cornstein, and Tony Eisenberg, with ShowTown Productions serving as Executive Producer. The Hard Rock International tour is presented in association with Live Nation.
