Once a squeaky clean pre-teen sensation with a nice head of hair and sold out concerts in every major city across the globe, it seems as though within the past few years Justin Bieber’s name has only been associated with arrests, partying and dating rumors. 

Comedy Central’s Justin Bieber Roast, hosted by Kevin Hart, was seemingly one of the first times in a long time that the pop star has made headlines for something other than irresponsible behavior, although such antics served as the material for most of the jokes made at Bieber’s expense.

Some of the more popular topics used by roasters to poke fun at Justin Bieber included the star’s previous relationship with Selena Gomez, his criminal record that ranges from egging his neighbor’s home to drag racing cars in Miami and the pet monkey he had to leave at a German zoo. 

Bieber managed to take most of the jokes in stride and even clearly loved some of them, standing up clapping or slapping his knee after those that he received particularly well. 

When a few of the jokes crossed the line, however, the newly 21-year-old star appeared rather uncomfortable and displeased, shaking his head in disapproval, such as when Natasha Leggero made a comment about abortion, as Justin’s mother is outspoken about the pressure she faced as a teen mother to abort her baby. 

Despite a few cracks that seemed out of line, the majority of the night provided for amusing jokes made at the expense of both Bieber and the roasters, all in good humor.

The group of men and women that sat on stage with Justin Bieber was a rather diverse crowd, from comedians Natasha Leggero, Chris Delia, Hannibal Buress, Pete Davidson and Jeffery Ross, to rappers Ludacris and Snoop Dogg. 

Martha Stewart and Shaquille O’Neal served as roasters as well, and even Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy made an appearance to fire at Bieber. As much as the roasters made fun of Bieber, they cracked jokes at one another as well. 

Whether it was jabs at Martha Stewart’s time in prison or Shaquille O’Neal’s massive stature, there were plenty of laughs to be had at the expense of the roasters. 

As if the crowd on stage did not present enough star power on its own, the audience was filled with notable and familiar faces. 

Kourtney Kardashian sat with sister Kendall Jenner, who was a good sport when some of the jokes were even aimed at her rumored relationship with Bieber, although the two have denied any such claims. 

John Legend and wife Chrissy Teigen were captured on camera reveling in the spirit of the night, as was Bieber’s close friend Jaden Smith. 

At the end of the night, Bieber himself took to the microphone to give the roasters a bit of a taste of their own medicine, and while admittedly new to the comedy scene, succeeded in cracking jokes that went over quite well with both the roasters and the audience. 

The night took a more serious turn, however, when the pop star addressed his mistakes and shortcomings over the past few years, apologizing and vowing to move forward in a more positive light. 

The entire production not only provided viewers with huge entertainment, but also served as a great way for Justin Bieber to get his name back into the spotlight in a positive, intentional manner, rather than because of a mug shot.