In an era where comedy often walks a razor-thin line between edgy social commentary and outright insensitivity, Tim Dillon has once again planted his flag firmly in the former category. His recent Netflix special, “Torching 2024: A Roast of the Year,” took aim at the tragic and deeply polarizing murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and—true to Dillon’s style—he didn’t just dip a toe into controversial waters; he cannonballed in.
Dressed in an eerily accurate parody of Thompson’s now-famous outfit—a navy sweater, light blue collared shirt, and khakis—Dillon added gruesome touches with fake blood splatter and chains draped around his neck. He stepped onto the stage in front of a sign reading “UnitedHellcare CEO,” immediately setting the tone for what was to follow.
“I’m going to hell for this, you might as well laugh,” Dillon began, as the audience erupted in both laughter and nervous anticipation.
The bit wasted no time skewering the rage and joy that erupted on social media after Thompson’s death. Dillon’s opening quip—”Your reaction to my murder makes me sick … and not the type of sick I would immediately deny for not having the proper paperwork,”—perfectly encapsulated his signature style: dark, biting humor wrapped around a kernel of brutal social truth.
It’s a line that resonates because it taps into the genuine frustration millions of Americans feel toward the healthcare industry. UnitedHealthcare, like many insurance giants, has long been criticized for denying claims, delaying care, and prioritizing profits over patients. Dillon’s performance didn’t pull any punches on that front.
But comedy, especially when it delves into real-life tragedies, is not without its risks. And Dillon knew exactly how far he was pushing it. His reference to Luigi Mangione—the man accused of Thompson’s murder—was delivered with surgical precision.
“Look at yourselves dancing in the streets because that guy Tortellini Mozzarella took me by surprise like an unexpected medical bill and shot me in the back,” Dillon joked, mocking both the spectacle surrounding the public reaction and the absurdity of how disconnected the event felt from reality. He even delivered a pitch-perfect parody of the cold bureaucratic indifference associated with healthcare claims: “I’m sorry Luigi but nobody feels bad for a thin guy with back problems. Claim denied!”
The set culminated in Dillon dropping a chilling yet hilariously on-brand final line: “Deny, defend, decompose.” A grim callback to the allegations that bullet casings at the scene were inscribed with “Deny, Defend, Depose.” Whether real or urban legend, it’s a detail so surreal it was practically tailor-made for Dillon’s sharp tongue.
Dillon’s roast follows other comedic attempts to address Thompson’s death, including Saturday Night Live’s controversial skits that drew backlash for striking a nerve too soon after the event. Add to that public comments from figures like former Washington Post reporter Taylor Lorenz—who infamously stated she felt “joy” over Thompson’s assassination—and it’s clear that the cultural conversation surrounding this incident is anything but settled.
Lorenz’s remarks, both on social media and during her interview with Piers Morgan, crystallize the raw emotions tied to this tragedy. “People have very justified hatred toward insurance company CEOs because these executives are responsible for an unfathomable amount of death and suffering,” she argued. And while her frustrations with the healthcare system are shared by millions, the glee she expressed over a man’s violent death remains deeply unsettling to many.
