Celebrities and members of George Floyd’s family and circle criticize Tony Hinchcliffe’s George Floyd death joke during Netflix’s Kevin Hart roast.
A Netflix roast turned into a flashpoint for the internet. and one comedian at the center of the controversy is Tony Hinchcliffe.. Four days after the release of ‘The Roast of Kevin Hart. ’ Hinchcliffe is facing intense backlash over jokes many viewers say crossed a line by referencing the death of George Floyd—an issue that has pulled in celebrities. Floyd’s family. and people from his close circle.
The criticism doesn’t come from fans alone.. Tamika D.. Mallory and Sukihana have both publicly voiced disappointment. while Floyd’s family and friends—including his brother. Terrence Floyd. and close friend Stephen Jackson—have also spoken out. arguing that turning Floyd’s death into a punchline is harmful and disrespectful.
During the set. Hinchcliffe reportedly made a remark tied to the way George Floyd died on May 25. 2020—when Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes during an arrest in Minnesota. even as he repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe.. In 2021. a state court convicted Chauvin of second-degree unintentional murder. third-degree murder. and second-degree manslaughter. and the report notes Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison. with that term being served concurrently with an additional 21-year sentence related to violations of Floyd’s constitutional rights.. Floyd’s death helped fuel a broader movement against police brutality known as ‘Black Lives Matter.’
Even with that context, the joke is what many see as the real breaking point.. Hinchcliffe’s line—reported as being delivered live on Netflix while Kevin Hart laughed—used Floyd’s death as comedy.. According to the account of what was said. the comedian suggested that “the Black community” was proud and that Floyd was “looking up at us all. laughing so hard that he can’t breathe.”
For many observers. the issue is not simply that the material involved a painful event. but that it treated the killing as something to laugh at.. The backlash also appears to be partly fueled by concerns that this wasn’t an isolated moment. with claims circulating that Hinchcliffe made similar George Floyd references during other roasts.
The George Floyd joke, however, is not described as the only controversy surrounding Hinchcliffe.. The report also notes that he and Shane Gillis made jokes about Sheryl Underwood’s husband. who died by suicide in 1990.. In addition. it was reported that ‘The Kevin Hart Roast’ is the second roast where Hinchcliffe reportedly cracked a George Floyd joke. including an earlier incident in 2024 connected to Tom Brady’s roast. where Hinchcliffe allegedly compared Rob Gronkowski to the “final boss” in “George Floyd: The Video Game.”
So far, the report says Hinchcliffe has not addressed the backlash about his recent or past controversial jokes, leaving critics to wonder whether there’s a repeating pattern rather than a one-time misstep.
Terrence Floyd, speaking with ‘The Breakfast Club’s Loren Lorosa, did not mince words.. He criticized the idea of presenting his brother’s death as comedy and suggested that Kevin Hart should have shut down the joke.. Terrence also pointed out that he believes Hart attended George Floyd’s funeral in Minnesota. making the decision to let the moment play out feel especially wrong to him.
Terrence also shared a more personal perspective about the ongoing pressure that comes with controversies connected to his brother’s name. including near the anniversary of Floyd’s death.. He said he was focused on the well-being of his niece. underscoring that even years later. the fallout from public comments can still land inside a family.
Meanwhile. Stephen Jackson addressed the moment through social media. using a blunt message about how people react differently depending on whether the harm reaches their own family.. In a video. he argued that the logic of “not offended” collapses once it becomes personal—saying that people laugh “until it’s their family member that gets murdered. ” at which point it “ain’t funny.” He characterized the behavior as “clown sh*t” and also emphasized that he has traveled widely. marching in real time in his brother’s name.
Jackson’s caption expanded on that stance. including a firm call for respect and an instruction that people who don’t like him should unfollow.. His message also used religious language and reinforced his refusal to be directed on how to respond to the controversy. even as the clip and post circulated alongside others condemning the roast.
Sukihana added her own layer to the reaction. taking to social media with a video that reflected disbelief at the room’s response to the joke.. She said she was appalled that what she described as “a group of white colonizers” disrespected George Floyd and made a joke of his death. and she also criticized the Black people who allegedly sat by and laughed without getting up or challenging the moment.
Tamika D.. Mallory likewise released a statement slamming Hinchcliffe’s jokes, insisting that there was “nothing funny” about George Floyd’s murder.. In her remarks. she argued that allowing someone to stand up and disrespect Floyd while laughing is disgusting—and she tied that to what she sees as one reason Black people continue to face severe attacks on their rights.. Her statement suggested that treating Floyd’s death as entertainment contributes to an environment where the harm is minimized.
For viewers trying to understand how Kevin Hart’s roast concept collides with real-world grief. the question of what Hart himself thought has become part of the story too.. After the event, the report notes that Kevin Hart did not directly address the backlash about the George Floyd jokes.. Instead, he posted on Instagram praising the comedians who showed up and saying the event went exactly as planned.
Hart described roasts as “hard-hitting. relentless jokes with no consequence. ” framing the premise as something where comics “go hard or you go home.” Specifically about Tony Hinchcliffe. Hart said Hinchcliffe “f*cking understood the assignment. ” calling his performance relentless and also asserting that he was funny.
Since that initial post on Monday. the report states that Kevin Hart made seven additional Instagram feed posts promoting the roast.. Even without a direct statement responding to the criticism. his comment sections have allegedly become flooded with mentions tied to the George Floyd controversy. suggesting the debate is still actively shaping how fans respond to the comedian’s platform.
Taken together. the reaction points to a broader tension that keeps surfacing in entertainment: when comedy targets tragedies associated with ongoing social trauma. the “roast” frame may not neutralize the impact for those who lived it—or for those connected to it.. For Floyd’s supporters and family. the issue is less about whether a joke is “allowed” in a set and more about whether it is dignified to use Floyd’s death as a cue for laughter.
And for audiences watching online. the unanswered question remains whether Hinchcliffe views the moment as part of the roast tradition or as something that crosses a line that shouldn’t be crossed.. With no public response from him so far. the backlash continues to spread—carried not only by clips from the show. but also by posts and statements from people who say the laughter felt like disrespect rather than entertainment.
Tony Hinchcliffe roast George Floyd joke Kevin Hart roast backlash Sukihana reaction Terrence Floyd response Stephen Jackson statement Tamika D. Mallory