Actor Rob Lowe recently got candid about how his wife, Sheryl Berkoff, finally approved of his appearance on the Comedy Central Roast.
Speaking on Simon Sinek’s A Bit of Optimism podcast, the 61-year-old American actor revealed that he rejected the offer for his Comedy Central Roast four times before finally saying yes. The creators ended up paying him $1 million as compensation for his “brutal” public humiliation.
The Justin Bieber Factor
Lowe admitted he was reluctant to do the special but was convinced after seeing the Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber.
He said, “He is a huge star. I was like, ‘You know what? If Justin Bieber can do it, I can do it.’”
Wife’s Concerns and the Price of Humiliation
- Wife’s Fear: The 9-1-1: Lone Star actor disclosed that his wife, Berkoff, initially did not want him to participate out of fear he would face embarrassment before a national audience.
- Lowe’s Response: Lowe referenced his destructive 1989 Oscars opening number, noting: “I said, ‘That ship has sailed.’“
- The Massive Paycheck: Lowe brought his wife around by telling her about the massive pay cheque Comedy Central offered him. Sinek jokingly asked, “Was that the price of humiliation?”
- The West Wing star quipped in response: “Turns out, it’s about a million. It’s about a million dollars for about five hours work.”
