Wanda Sykes said she turned down Kevin Hart’s Netflix roast in May, calling it “lazy writing” filled with “recycled sexist, racist, gay jokes.” She instead watched a Los Angeles Sparks WNBA game, while the roast went on to draw 13.5 million viewers in a week.
Wanda Sykes didn’t just sit out Netflix’s big Kevin Hart roast in May—she says she actively declined it.
She told Vulture that Hart called her before the event was announced and urged her to join the live telecast. Sykes replied, “I was. Kevin called me before it was announced, and I said, ‘No.’ And he said, ‘Come on, Wanda. Come on. It’ll be good for your special.’”
When Sykes later reflected on why she made that choice, she didn’t sound unsure at all. Asked to explain what she was doing instead, she said, “thank God” she went to a Los Angeles Sparks WNBA game.
Her criticism wasn’t limited to the decision-making behind the roast. On the “Good One” podcast. when Jesse David Fox asked why the roast went “so wrong. ” Sykes didn’t mince words: “Just lazy. lazy writing. But I thought the same thing with the [2024 Tom] Brady roast too. It seems like the roasts are just recycled sexist, racist, gay jokes. Like, come on.”.
Sykes wasn’t alone in publicly taking issue with “The Roast of Kevin Hart.” Michael Che was initially on board to perform at the event before pulling out because of scheduling. with Variety exclusively reporting the change. After that. Che took to social media to shade the white writers of the roast for jokes about slavery and sex crimes.
Chelsea Handler—who did participate—later slammed the host Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe for “gross” material, calling the comics “racist” and “sexist.”
Even with the mounting backlash, Netflix still leaned into the show’s momentum. The roast was a ratings hit for Netflix. scoring 13.5 million viewers in one week—down only 2% from the previous Brady roast. The event aired on the final night of the Netflix Is a Joke festival and included comics such as Sheryl Underwood and Katt Williams. alongside Hollywood stars including Regina Hall and Dwayne Johnson.
For Sykes, the numbers and the star power weren’t the point. She framed her choice as a line she refused to cross—turning down Hart’s call, then spending that night at a WNBA game instead, and later describing what she saw as the same tired formula getting recycled again.
Wanda Sykes Kevin Hart roast Netflix Is a Joke Michael Che Chelsea Handler Shane Gillis Tony Hinchcliffe Los Angeles Sparks WNBA comedy roasts ratings Regina Hall Dwayne Johnson Sheryl Underwood Katt Williams
WNBA game beats Netflix roast every time lol.
I don’t even get why Kevin Hart would call her like that, just to get roasted on TV? Also “lazy writing” sounds right… roasts are always the same recycled stuff.
So she skipped it and went to a Sparks game but Netflix still got 13.5 million… that’s kinda the point though? Like if it’s “sexist” and “racist” why watch at all, but also 13.5 million means people clearly liked it? My brain hurts.
Everybody arguing about jokes and I’m just wondering if this is like the Brady roast where they “cancel” stuff mid-show? And Michael Che shading the writers like… but weren’t the comics the ones on stage? Idk, I think it’s all just people looking for drama. Also Sparks games are way more wholesome than Netflix Is a Joke, so good for her.