Whew, there have been plenty of comedy roasts that have captured national attention, but Kevin Hart's is still a hot topic. The major controversy stemmed from Tony Hinchcliffe's callous joke about George Floyd that was met with mixed reactions. Hart laughed through the moment, which gained some backlash, and stand-up comedians from near and far have been weighing in.
Marlon and Shawn Wayans are two of a legacy of comedy greats, and they added their two cents regarding the conversation. "There's gonna be casualties. Unfortunately, some of the jokes didn't land the way that they possibly could have," said Marlon. "The consequences in the quietness laugh—," then, Shawn interjected. "Every time somebody tells a joke, we're killing our own culture. It's not good," added Shawn.
Wayans Brothers Say It Isn't Cut And Dry
"But, it's two part," Marlon continued. "One part comedian, one part Black man. So, the other part of it is, if you're gonna go there, make sure that joke is really worth it." Marlon said that, as comedians, they have to sift through the darkness to find the light for the audience. "There were things in [the latest Scary Movie film] that we decided not to put in because we felt like it hurt the temperature of the movie. We're trying to do a movie to make everybody feel good. So, something, if it's going to make people go, 'Uggggh,' that 'uggh' stays with you. I don't want that."
Obviously, comedy is a place where people can push the envelope, but not every joke will hit the way it's intended. Check out Marlon and Shawn Wayans speaking about the Kevin Hart roast controversy below.
