Kevin Hart is standing by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe after the comic faced major backlash over controversial jokes involving George Floyd during Hart’s roast event. Speaking on The Breakfast Club, Kevin addressed the criticism surrounding Hinchcliffe’s roast set, which included jokes about George Floyd, lynching, and the late husband of comedian Sheryl Underwood. The remarks quickly sparked outrage online, with several comedians and members of Floyd’s family calling the material offensive and racist.
Despite the backlash, Kevin said he does not believe Tony Hinchcliffe is racist and argued that roast comedy is intentionally designed to push boundaries.
Kevin explained that while he personally would not make those jokes, he understood why Hinchcliffe went there in the context of a roast. According to him, crossing the line is often considered part of the format.
Tony Hinchcliffe made a WILD George Floyd joke while roasting Kevin Hart 💀
— Killa 🌺 (@KillaKreww) May 11, 2026
“The Black community is so proud of you… right now George Floyd is looking up at us all laughing so hard he can’t breathe.” pic.twitter.com/33T2anzhja
The controversy escalated further after Chelsea Handler publicly criticized both Tony Hinchcliffe and roast host Shane Gillis. Handler claimed the comedians “ruined the night” with material she considered racist and inappropriate.
George Floyd’s family also reacted strongly to the jokes, especially because this reportedly marked the second major roast event in which Hinchcliffe referenced Floyd’s death. He previously faced criticism for similar comments during Tom Brady’s roast.
Kevin Hart pushed back against criticism directed at him personally and revealed that he even reached out to Stephen Jackson, a close friend of George Floyd, after the roast to discuss the situation. However, Hart did not publicly share Jackson’s response.
While Kevin appears ready to move on from the controversy, the debate around offensive comedy, roast culture, and where audiences draw the line does not seem to be ending anytime soon.