Helen Zille says she wouldn't have done Showmax Roast if her mother was still alive
Zille faced a panel of comedians, musicians, and politicians, including Tumi Morake, Trevor Gumbi, Loyiso Gola and Patricia de Lille.
'I think they're all interesting,' Zille said. 'They've all made a mark in our society, they're good at what they do, and they're provocative. They can give a jab and take a jab, so they'll be good sparring partners.'
She said she had no clue about The Real Housewives — Mel Viljoen and Londie London.
'I don't know if they're from Desperate Housewives or The Real Housewives. I know nothing about that world, so that'll be new for me. But the rest I know, and I think they'll handle this kind of exchange well.'
She explained that when she told her sons she was doing the Roast they were shocked.
'When I told my sons, they said, 'Ma, do you even know what a Roast is?' And I had to admit, 'No, I don't. What is it?'
'They were like, 'Ma, are you crazy? You're putting yourself out there for a toasting! You're going to be chewed up.' I said, 'That's fine. I get chewed up every day.'
'Then they sent me a few Roasts to watch, and honestly I couldn't even understand them. I didn't know what was funny about them! I thought, 'I can never be like this — I don't even get the jokes.' But eventually they said, 'Well, Ma, if you want to do mad things, go ahead.''
As a seasoned politician, Zille said she's no stranger to being roasted in her daily life and isn't fazed by it.
'So much has happened in my life. I've been battered from every angle, cancelled countless times. If you look at my social media timeline, people are constantly being rude and carrying on. It just doesn't bother me any more.'
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