Kevin Hart breaks silence on George Floyd roast backlash

Kevin Hart has broken his silence over the storm surrounding Tony Hinchcliffe’s shocking George Floyd joke

The 46-year-old comic insisted that he “wasn’t shocked” by the controversial dig during Netflix’s Roast of Kevin Hart.

The Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungl‪e‬ actor addressed the backlash after Hinchcliffe stunned viewers with a brutal line referencing Floyd, who was killed by police in 2020. 

During the roast, the comic quipped, “George Floyd is looking up at us all laughing so hard he can’t breathe.”

The remark immediately sparked outrage online, with many branding it offensive and deeply insensitive.

Speaking on The Breakfast Club radio show, Hart admitted the joke was “not tasteful” for Black audiences, but argued roast events are designed to push boundaries.

He said, “If you’re watching the roast, you get why they’re doing it. The racial humour is on the table. I wasn’t shocked. That’s what they do.”

The Upside star compared the event to previous celebrity roasts, including Netflix’s Tom Brady special, saying edgy humour is part of the format.

But Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, has publicly criticised Hart for failing to shut the joke down during the show, claiming the comedian should have pushed back harder.

Despite the criticism, Hart defended Hinchcliffe’s style, saying: “It’s Tony Hinchcliffe. I don’t expect less. I don’t expect more.”

The Ride Along star stressed he personally would not make jokes like that, but insisted audiences should separate him from the material.

“Remove me from it. I didn’t say it,” he added. “It’s a production.”

Meanwhile, Saturday Night Live comic Michael Che also weighed in after the roast, joking on Instagram that “white guys and Black people joke different” while highlighting the number of white writers involved in the televised event.

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