Chelsea Handler Blasts ‘Disgusting’ Shane Gillis for Kevin Hart Roast Jokes

by

This month, comedian Kevin Hart was the subject of a live, televised roast, where fellow comedians made jokes at his expense. Chelsea Handler, who participated in the event, has recently stated that some of the jokes told by others were overly offensive, describing them as both racist and disgusting.

Chelsea Handler discussed the roast in a recent interview on Deon Cole’s podcast, Funny Knowing You. She revealed that several of the roast’s host’s ex-girlfriends contacted her beforehand, offering details about him she could use in her performance. Handler also clarified her opinions on comedians Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe, both of whom faced criticism for jokes made during the show.

Chelsea Handler: Tony Hinchcliffe & Shane Gillis Are “Bigots”

She stated that she was aware of Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis’s past behavior. She explained that they have a history of making racist, bigoted, and sexist remarks, and seemingly believe they won’t face consequences for it.

Chelsea Handler specifically criticized a joke made by Bill Burr about Kevin Hart. Burr had joked that Hart was “so short, you’d have to lynch him from a bonsai tree,” and claimed he’d spent three weeks thinking about it. Handler found the joke deeply offensive, comparing it to making light of sexual assault.

Chelsea Handler strongly condemned jokes referencing the lynching of Black people, calling them “gross” and unacceptable. She emphasized the extreme seriousness of lynching, stating it was worse than rape and questioning why such a horrific act would ever be considered a topic for humor. She challenged the idea that it’s permissible to joke about something so deeply traumatic.

Chelsea Handler also criticized comedians Shane Gillis and Mark Hinchcliffe for making jokes about the late husband of Sheryl Underwood, who tragically died by suicide in 1990 after three years of marriage. Gillis explained that he had run the jokes by Underwood beforehand and received her okay. However, Handler said that even though Underwood might have been fine with the jokes, she still found them deeply offensive.

Shane Gillis Jokes Stirred Up Backlash

Honestly, I was appalled to hear they were joking about Sheryl Underwood’s late husband, especially considering how he passed away. Sheryl can feel however she needs to about it, but I personally found it incredibly disrespectful and just plain gross. There was a lot of negativity going around, and I really felt like the situation deserved better – Kevin deserved to be honored, not torn down. I believed I could bring a more respectful energy to the conversation, and that’s what I tried to do.

Gillis responded to Handler’s comments with a statement, accusing her of using the situation to promote herself. He then mentioned his own upcoming comedy show this summer.

Gillis expressed her excitement for Chelsea, saying, ‘I’m so happy she’s making the most of this opportunity, and we’re all supporting her.’ She also mentioned she’ll be at the football stadium in Philadelphia on July 17th and invited people to come see her.

The Roast of Kevin Hart can be .

Read More

2026-05-21 06:48