Nikki Glaser Criticizes 2 Comics' Racist Jokes at Kevin Hart Roast

8 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · May 26

Glaser, 41, said the problem with the Netflix roast jokes was not simply racism but that Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis failed to make them "palatable" or grounded enough to work.
May 10's Roast of Kevin Hart drew backlash after Hinchcliffe joked that George Floyd was "looking up" and "can't breathe," while Gillis made a lynching joke about Hart's height.
That scrutiny has widened beyond the stage: Floyd's family and online critics have condemned the special, and a petition is urging Netflix and Hart to pay reparations over Hinchcliffe's remark.
Chelsea Handler, 51, who also appeared on the roast, separately called both comedians "racist," "sexist" and "bigots," saying jokes about lynching Black people are not funny.
The controversy revives earlier accusations against both comics—Hinchcliffe over a 2024 Trump rally set and Gillis over 2019 anti-Asian slurs—as Netflix's roast format faces renewed pressure.

Will Netflix and Kevin Hart face real financial consequences for the controversial roast as calls for reparations grow?

After jokes about George Floyd and lynching, has the celebrity roast crossed a line from which it cannot return?