‘Hacks’: How DJ’s Catchphrase for Deborah’s Comedy Roast Came Together

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Hacks Season 3, Episode 3, “The Roast of Deborah Vance.”]

Hacks explored the familiar world of comedy roasts in one of its latest episodes, appropriately titled, “The Roast of Deborah Vance,” and stepping up to the plate for the big event was Deborah’s (Jean Smart) daughter DJ (Kaitlin Olson).

Not a stand-up in the slightest, DJ relies on the concept of a catchphrase to garner laughter from the audience, and despite initial doubts from Ava (Hannah Einbinder), the phrase becomes a hit when she takes to the stage. The catchphrase in question, is, “What a c**t?” This echoes DJ’s complicated feelings toward Deborah who attends an AA meeting with her as she celebrates an encouraging milestone.

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But unlike DJ who has risen to the occasion of preparing material for the roast, Deborah’s appearance at the AA meeting is half-hearted as she asks Ava to write her a little speech revealing how proud she is of DJ, and getting carried away, making other attendees laugh when the metaphorical spotlight falls on her.

After witnessing Deborah’s interaction at the AA meeting, DJ recognizes that her mother has an addiction to her audience and suddenly that unlocks a whole new understanding of the comedian. While Deborah is reluctant to accept DJ’s estimation of her, she’s happily roasted by her daughter at a star-studded event.

“I don’t know who actually pitched DJ’s punchline of ‘What a c**t?’ but somebody was sleeping and woke up with a star,” co-showrunner Lucia Aniello tells TV Insider with a laugh.  “I think that the idea of a roast of Deborah Vance… we felt like that was a cool thing we get to explore this season [because] Deborah is more famous than she’s ever been as a result of her special. So it was exciting.”

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“It felt like the perfect moment to dovetail that fame with something very personal, which is her relationship with her daughter,” Aniello adds. Since Hacks debuted, Deborah and DJ have been at odds in their mother-daughter relationship, but perhaps this roast was a chance to foster some growth and deliver some catharsis for DJ.

Aniello says, “It was a really intense episode because we got to explore how they’re both addicts in their own way and how DJ gets to go to group to work out her trauma, but for Deborah, her addiction is the group.”

Will Deborah’s addiction continue? As she continues to go after that coveted Late Night job, we’re assuming so. Stay tuned for more as Hacks continues to unfold on Max.

Hacks, Season 3, New Episodes, Thursdays, Max