Comedians Criticized for Jokes About George Floyd
George Floyd’s family has voiced their disapproval of comedians Tony Hinchcliffe and Kevin Hart regarding remarks made during a Netflix roast that aired recently. During the event, Hinchcliffe made a comment aimed at Hart, saying, “The black community is so proud of you,” and continued with, “Right now, George Floyd is looking up at us all and laughing so hard he can’t breathe.”
In response, a spokesperson for the Gianna George Floyd Foundation, Travis Caines, conveyed the family’s sentiments to the media, describing Hart’s acceptance of Hinchcliffe’s comments as “sad for the culture.” They expressed concern that Hart seemed to permit such jokes about Floyd, effectively normalizing a subject they believe is not humorous.
The family and friends of Floyd are reportedly embarrassed and disgusted by Hinchcliffe’s apparent fixation on making jokes surrounding George Floyd. They conveyed that Hart should have objected to the comments made by Hinchcliffe during the roast.
In a notable moment from the roast, Hinchcliffe joked that NFL player Rob Gronkowski “looked like the final boss of George Floyd in a video game.” The Floyd family’s spokesperson labeled Hinchcliffe a “racist comedian,” prompting questions about Hart’s reaction if it had been a personal loss he experienced.
The Gianna George Floyd Foundation reiterated their mission to uplift the community, urging for a more positive approach rather than derogatory humor from comedians. They said, “Let’s be a little more positive and let’s not sit there and do colonoscopy by white comedians.”
During the roast, Hinchcliffe also made a quip about Hart losing his Oscars hosting gig due to previous homophobic tweets, stating that it’s understandable for someone at Hart’s height to have such biases. Additionally, he remarked, “He got into a fistfight on a private plane. It’s proof that no matter how much money black people have, they’re still going to act like newcomers.”
Hart responded to the controversy via a video on his Instagram, asserting that roasts are meant to be edgy and devoid of sentimentality. He remarked, “This is what roasts are like, my friend,” emphasizing that the intention was merely to deliver strong jokes. He encouraged the comedians involved, including Hinchcliffe, for their efforts.
