Leaders demand apology over comedian’s offensive George Floyd and Sheryl Underwood jokes during Kevin Hart Netflix Roast

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe is facing intense backlash after making controversial jokes about George Floyd and Sheryl Underwood’s late husband during Netflix’s “The Roast of Kevin Hart”, a live event filmed May 10 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.

The remarks sparked outrage from viewers, civil rights advocates, and Floyd’s family, who called the jokes cruel and unnecessary.

Joke About Sheryl Underwood’s Late Husband Sparks Immediate Outrage

During his set, Hinchcliffe referenced the suicide of Sheryl Underwood’s husband, Michael Sparkman, who died in 1990 after battling depression. He joked:

“Her husband committed su-cide three years into the marriage. I’ve been sitting next to her for two hours, and I have to ask: how did he last that long?”

The camera cut to Underwood, who appeared to laugh before firing back with a roast of her own. But online, many viewers said the joke crossed a line by targeting a deeply personal tragedy Underwood has spoken about for decades.

George Floyd Joke Draws Condemnation From Floyd’s Family

Hinchcliffe also made a joke referencing George Floyd, whose 2020 murder by Minneapolis police sparked global protests. Addressing Kevin Hart, Hinchcliffe said:

“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.”

The Gianna & George Floyd Foundation condemned the remark, calling it “sad for the culture” and accusing Hinchcliffe of repeatedly using Floyd’s death as a punchline. Floyd’s family told TMZ they were “baffled and disgusted” by what they described as Hinchcliffe’s “obsession” with making Floyd jokes.

The foundation added:

“We are trying to rebuild things for our community… let’s try to be a little bit more positive and not sit up there doing colon inspections by white comedians.”

Backlash Extends to Kevin Hart and Netflix

Some critics also directed anger toward Kevin Hart, arguing he should have shut down the joke in real time. Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, said Hart’s silence felt like a betrayal, noting that Hart attended George Floyd’s funeral in 2020.

Terrence Floyd said Hart should have intervened:

“You know what this family went through. How do you just sit there?”

He also criticized Netflix and the show’s producers for allowing the joke to be written, rehearsed, and aired.

Community Leaders and Activists Call for Accountability

Community leaders in Minneapolis intensified the backlash as they condemned Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about George Floyd. They said the remark reopened deep wounds in a city still grieving six years after Floyd’s murder. Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network, led a press conference and delivered a forceful response to the roast.

“An egregious, disgusting joke was made about George Floyd. Here we are about to memorialize George Floyd for year six after his brutal murder at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department. Our community is still experiencing grief and trauma. We have young people in our community who were children at the time. They’re now teenagers still dealing with the impacts of the police killing of George Floyd. And instead of allowing our community to grieve in peace, to celebrate George Floyd in peace, we have Netflix comedians making light of the brutal killing of George Floyd. It is unacceptable and it is unconscionable,” Armstrong said.

Speakers at the event demanded a direct apology from Hinchcliffe to Floyd’s family and to Minneapolis residents. They also urged Kevin Hart to address why the joke aired and called on Netflix to remove the segment from the special.

Pattern of Controversial Jokes

This is not the first time Hinchcliffe has referenced Floyd in his comedy. During the 2024 Tom Brady roast, he joked that Rob Gronkowski “looked like the final boss in George Floyd the video game.”

Former NBA player Stephen Jackson, a childhood friend of Floyd, also condemned the roast joke, saying:

“Everybody laughing until it’s their family member that gets murdered, then it ain’t funny.”

Kevin Hart has not responded.