Kevin Hart Stands by Tony Hinchcliffe After Backlash to George Floyd Roast Jokes [WATCH]

Kevin Hart continues to support fellow comedian Tony Hinchcliffe following widespread backlash to Hinchcliffe’s controversial George Floyd joke during Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart.

Speaking on The Breakfast Club, Hart addressed criticism of the joke, acknowledging that while it might have been offensive to some, it fit within the context of a roast.

“Yeah, the George Floyd joke, it wasn’t a tasteful joke to our culture, to our audience,” Hart said.

“But our audience that’s watching the roast, if you’re watching the roast, you get why they’re doing it. You get why the racial humor is on the table.”

Here’s What They’re Not Telling You About Your Retirement

Hart maintained that such jokes are part of the roast format. “I wasn’t shocked,” he said.

“That’s what they do. It happens every year when they do a roast. It’s not new. It’s not a new agenda. It’s not a new approach to comedy.”

Charlamagne tha God, one of the show’s hosts, asked Hart whether Hinchcliffe had crossed a line with his George Floyd remark.

“It’s Tony Hinchcliffe,” Hart replied.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

“I don’t expect less, I don’t expect more.”

Charlamagne followed up, suggesting that going too far was part of the roast tradition, to which Hart answered, “Yes. I mean, that’s why you’re there [at a roast].”

Hart also observed that the controversy had overshadowed Hinchcliffe’s overall performance.

“I hate to say this, but I’m going to, because we’re being honest. People are talking about that joke. Talk about his set. Tony Hinchcliffe arguably had the best set or one of the best sets,” he said.

Charlamagne agreed that Hinchcliffe’s set was strong, admitting he “was laughing out loud at Tony” until the moment of the George Floyd joke.

However, he admitted discomfort with humor about violent or tragic deaths.

He also drew attention to other sensitive material during the roast, such as Pete Davidson’s joke about slain conservative figure Charlie Kirk.

Davidson had said, “Tony reminds me of Charlie Kirk, in that he’s definitely been on camera letting a guy unload in his throat.”

Hart responded by defending Davidson’s right to his comedic choices. “Pete had a great set, too,” Hart said.

“Pete had a Charlie Kirk joke in it. Would I tell those jokes? No. But do I get why they’re being told? Yes.”

While Hart struck a nuanced tone, Hinchcliffe chose to hit back directly at his critics.

On his Kill Tony podcast, the comedian insulted Chelsea Handler for criticizing his roast performance, calling her a “c*nt” and accusing her of unfairly targeting him.

Hinchcliffe mocked the reactions to the roast, joking, “That’s the first time I’ve been called a Nazi multiple times in just a few hours.”

He went on to complain about what he saw as Hollywood hypocrisy, saying, “I guess that’s the L.A. writers’ rooms, a lot of mentally ill liberals out there that, somehow, with all these fucking black and Jews Mexicans around me, I guess I’m a fucking Nazi somehow.”

He defended himself against accusations of bigotry and homophobia, saying, “I got called a Nazi, gay, a racist, over and over again. I’m none of those three things,” though he continued to joke that his roast comments about others were accurate.

Hinchcliffe also dismissed claims that Handler’s performance had upstaged or embarrassed him.

“The news said I got lit up by Chelsea Handler, which is very, very funny, because that’s not what happened at all,” he said.

“You can’t believe anything you see or read on the news anymore. You have to actually watch the thing for yourself.”

He concluded his rant by repeating his insult toward Handler, insisting she “just kept coming at me.”

WATCH:

The intense reaction to Hinchcliffe’s remarks has fueled a broader conversation about the limits of comedy, particularly in televised roasts known for pushing boundaries.

Hart’s decision to defend the tone of the event highlights his belief in comedic context, even amid rising public discomfort with material seen as racially or socially insensitive.

Doing Something About It: Louisiana US Senate Primary | The Rob Maness Show EP 672

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.