Wanda Sykes said she was glad she skipped Kevin Hart’s roast after seeing enough of the special to believe it relied on “racist, sexist” material and weak writing. In an interview on Vulture’s Good Ones podcast, Sykes said Hart personally asked her to take part, telling her it would be good for her upcoming special and that she could “just come in, do your thing, get out of there.” Sykes declined, saying the roast was not her style.
Looking back, Sykes said her decision protected her from the backlash that followed the widely criticized event. She said she watched enough of the special to think, “Thank God,” and joked that she went to a Sparks game instead. While she agreed with much of the public criticism, she said the biggest problem was the writing, calling it “lazy” and saying the jokes felt recycled.
Sykes also compared the Kevin Hart roast to the Tom Brady roast, saying both seemed to depend on the same kind of tired material, including sexist, racist and gay jokes. She argued that roasts should not simply repeat jokes that target vulnerable groups, a criticism shared by other comedians who felt the special crossed a line by punching down rather than delivering sharper comedy.
Hart has defended the special, saying it was a success on the streaming platform and praising the performers who took part. Sykes’ comments add to the debate over where roast comedy should draw the line and whether edgy humor can still be funny without relying on offensive stereotypes.
