comedian

Kevin Hart addresses backlash over roast joke about George Floyd

After his Netflix roast inspired tit-for-tat feuding among comedians and backlash from viewers over a joke about George Floyd, Kevin Hart’s stance is clear: All is fair in love, war and comedy.

During a Tuesday appearance on “The Breakfast Club,” Hart addressed the controversy stemming from Netflix’s “Roast of Kevin Hart,” which aired earlier this month and included material that shocked viewers. Tony Hinchcliffe, who helms the No. 1 live podcast in the world, “Kill Tony,” applied his politically incorrect approach to comedy that similarly outraged audiences at a 2024 campaign rally for then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.

“The Black community is so proud of you right now,” he quipped at Hart. “George Floyd is looking up at us all, laughing so hard that he can’t breathe.”

In 2020, Floyd was murdered by police Officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, until he died. His last words were “I can’t breathe,” which he said more than 20 times. The killing sparked global unrest and the largest civil rights protest since the 1960s. Hart attended Floyd’s memorial and private service in Minneapolis.

“The George Floyd joke, it wasn’t a tasteful joke to our culture,” Hart told the podcast. “But our audience that’s watching the roast … you get why they’re doing it, you get why the racial humor is on the table.”

Hart continued that the approach to comedy is nothing new and said, “Tony Hinchcliffe arguably had the best set, or one of the best sets.”

“Would I tell those jokes? No, but do I get why they’re being told? Yes,” Hart said.

Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, spoke with “Breakfast Club” host Loren LoRosa after the roast aired and said that he expected Hart to step in and tell Hinchcliffe he’d gone too far.

“What do you want me to do? Drag him off?” Hart asked during his appearance on the podcast. “That’s not what I agreed to do. That’s not the job at hand. The job at hand was to produce a successful roast, which I did.”

Not only has the Netflix roast caused a stir among viewers, but the comedians who participated also have been trading slights in recent weeks. Chelsea Handler didn’t mince words when she offered her take on Hinchcliffe, as well as Shane Gillis, who also performed a set during the roast. According to Handler, ex-girlfriends of the controversial comedians slid into her DMs and told her what she said she already knew about them.

“They’re racist,” she said during an appearance on Deon Cole’s “Funny Knowing You” podcast. “That they’re bigots, that they’re sexist, that they think they’re like invincible.”

Handler said that one of Gillis’ jokes about lynching Hart was “worse than rape.” In response, Gillis told the Hollywood Reporter in a statement that Handler was capitalizing on the moment.

On Monday’s episode of “Kill Tony,” Hinchcliffe responded to Handler’s remarks by calling her “a bit of a c—. “



Source link

Comedian Josh Widdecombe shock favourite to host Strictly after ‘blowing producers away’

A popular British comedian is now favourite to present Strictly Come Dancing after wowing producers

A comedian is now favourite to present Strictly Come Dancing after wowing producers.

Josh Widdecombe has reportedly become frontrunner to host the BBC Latin and ballroom show in the coming series after hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s departure from the show.

It has been revealed that a number of celebrities are ‘auditioning’ for hosting duties, with names including Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark and Angela Scanlon all rumoured to in the running.

However, bosses look as though they’ve got a new preferred presenter after he wowed producers. If Josh was to get the job, he’d be the first male host since Sir Bruce Forsyth left the programme.

“Josh blew the producers away with his dead-pan, witty banter. He is family friendly, having helmed several shows now, and loves Strictly,” a source told The Sun, “The bosses believe he will be ideal to take the show into a new era.

“After years as a stand-up, he can handle a live audience and is razor-sharp. He’s not a household name, yet, and so to step into Brucie’s shoes would be a stellar move for his career.”

It comes after Alan Carr broke his silence on rumours he was a contender for the Strictly hosting duties.

“I didn’t turn it down, I was just clumped with everyone and had to say: ‘No, don’t put me in the mix.’ I love watching Strictly, but I don’t love it enough. People are always moaning there aren’t new, fresh faces on TV. Well, wouldn’t it be amazing to give it to a young person who absolutely adores Strictly and dancing?” he said to The Telegraph.

The Celebrity Traitors winner added: “If I rock up on it, they’ll go: ‘Oh, here he is again.’ Why waste it on me? I don’t really know the dances. I’d be like: ‘Oh here they go again, that dance with the legs.'”

In a joint statement last year, Tess and Claudia announced their decision to leave the show.

“We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time,” the pair wrote in a joint statement online.

“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.



Source link