Podcaster and comedian Joe Rogan criticized fellow comedians who condemned politically incorrect jokes made during Netflix’s recent Kevin Hart roast, arguing that performers should understand the brutal nature of roast comedy before joining the backlash.
During a Friday conversation with comedian Harland Williams, Rogan defended the roast format after several jokes from the Hart special triggered outrage online, including remarks involving George Floyd, divorce, dead relatives and other taboo subjects.
The controversy revolved partially around comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who drew criticism after joking that the black community was proud of Hart and that George Floyd was “looking up” at the show and laughing so hard he could not breathe.
The joke prompted backlash from some viewers and comedians, including critics who argued Hart should have stepped in or publicly distanced himself from the material.
Rogan said he understood why ordinary viewers unfamiliar with roast culture might be shocked by the jokes. But he argued professional comedians should know better.
“The thing is, if you’re a person, and you’re not accustomed to roasts, and you don’t get why those jokes are so mean, I get it,” Rogan said. “But comedians — comedians that are getting upset about these roast jokes… F— all the way off.”
Rogan accused some comedians of using the controversy to elevate themselves by attacking the performers involved.
“You know what this is. You know exactly what this is,” Rogan said. “You’re just using this moment to try to boost yourself up.”
Rogan argued that roast comedy has always been intentionally harsh and offensive by design, noting that many younger viewers may be less familiar with the format because televised roasts were less prominent in mainstream culture for years.
“Roast jokes are f—ing mean. They’ve always been f—ing mean,” Rogan said.
Williams agreed, comparing outrage over roast jokes to complaining about physicality after choosing to play hockey.
“Don’t suit up, go out, and play hockey if you don’t want to play hockey,” Williams said. “Sit on the bench. And don’t badmouth the people playing hockey.”
Rogan also pointed out that Hart himself has defended the comedians who participated, despite being the target of many of the night’s harshest jokes.
“You know who didn’t have a problem with it? Kevin f—ing Hart,” Rogan said.
Hart challenged criticism of the roast during an interview with Charlamagne tha God, rejecting the idea that he bore responsibility for stopping jokes made by other comedians.
Hart specifically defended Hinchcliffe’s set as one of the strongest of the night and noted that jokes were also made about his dead parents without him intervening.
When Charlamagne suggested Hart should have done more to show he cared about people offended by the George Floyd joke, Hart rejected the premise.
“I don’t f—ing need to prove to people that I give a f—,” Hart said.
The debate over the roast reflects a broader divide inside comedy over whether anything goes or whether some subjects are too inflammatory even for performances built around insult humor.
Supporters of Rogan’s position argue that comedy is one of few remaining spaces where performers knowingly agree to push boundaries, shock audiences and tackle taboo subjects without pretending the jokes reflect literal beliefs.
Rogan argued that accusing roast comedians of being racists or extremists because of deliberately offensive jokes misrepresents the nature of the performance.
“You could disagree with the content,” Rogan said. “You could say, ‘I think they went too far with this.’ But this pretending that these people are actual racists and Nazis just because they’re telling these jokes that are in a roast? Like, f— all the way off.”
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