D.L. Hughley Criticizes Tony Hinchcliffe’s George Floyd Joke at Kevin Hart Roast, Questions 'One-Sided' Comedy Standards

Comedian D.L. Hughley has publicly criticized fellow comedian Tony Hinchcliffe over a controversial joke about George Floyd during “The Roast of Kevin Hart”, which aired over the weekend.

In a video posted to his Instagram account on Wednesday, Hughley addressed Hinchcliffe’s performance, questioning the comedian’s suitability for the roast and the appropriateness of his material.

“I find it ironic that a comedian, who appeared at a Nazi rally for Trump a couple of years ago, and told a very incendiary joke, would end up with the [n-word] that was in ‘Jumanji,’” Hughley said. “I just don’t think those audiences mesh.”

He continued, comparing the roast to past events like the Dean Martin Roast, where comedians appeared to share mutual respect. “I remember years ago when it was the Dean Martin roast, you got the sense that those people liked each other. That those people have an affinity for each other. That it was kind of tongue-in-cheek. I don’t get that sense at all.”

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Hinchcliffe’s set drew immediate backlash online after he made a joke about George Floyd, as well as targeting fellow roaster Sheryl Underwood with a remark about her late husband’s suicide.

The controversial line from Hinchcliffe’s routine:

“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.”

Hughley also highlighted what he described as a “one-sided” approach to free speech in comedy. He argued that audiences who laugh at jokes like Hinchcliffe’s often react differently when comedians target conservative figures like Charlie Kirk.

“You are entitled to tell a joke,” Hughley said. “But it cannot be just jokes when the very audiences that support that kind of comedy got upset when someone said anything about Charlie Kirk.”

He recalled efforts by conservative supporters to have comedians fired for jokes about Kirk, referencing the ongoing feud between Donald Trump and Jimmy Kimmel. “I would say, the same people who like Trump, like these comedians,” he added. “Same people. How is [that] when you do it, it is called comedy, when they do it … it’s something entirely different.”

Floyd’s family also condemned Hinchcliffe’s joke. A spokesperson for The Gianna Floyd Foundation called the remark “sad for the culture.”

“We are trying to rebuild things for our community and make things better in our community,” the foundation told TMZ following the roast. “Let’s try to be a little bit more positive and not sit up there doing colon inspections by white comedians.”