'Worse Than Rape': Chelsea Handler Calls Kevin Hart Roast 'Disgusting' Over Racist Joke Controversy

Chelsea Handler said she felt 'gross' sitting through parts of Netflix's The Roast of Kevin Hart after several comics made jokes about lynching, suicide and race during the live special.

The comedian later blasted roast host Shane Gillis and performer Tony Hinchcliffe on Deon Cole's podcast, calling them 'racists' and 'bigots' while comparing lynching jokes to rape jokes.

The backlash has since spread across social media, where viewers remain split between defending old-school roast comedy and accusing the Netflix event of crossing a line for shock value.

Handler Blasts Kevin Hart Roast Over Lynching Joke

The controversy erupted after Shane Gillis joked that Kevin Hart was 'so short' he would need to be 'lynched from a bonsai tree' during the Netflix special filmed at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Chelsea Handler later said the moment instantly changed the atmosphere of the room for her.

Speaking on Deon Cole's Funny Knowing You podcast, Handler said jokes involving Black trauma were 'disgusting' and accused Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe of hiding behind roast culture. She also claimed she already expected a 'gross vibe' because of the lineup involved.

Handler's harshest criticism came when she compared lynching jokes to rape jokes, arguing there are some subjects comedians should not casually turn into punchlines. 'I knew enough about Tony & Shane... They're racists, they're bigots, they're sexist... I don't find those jokes funny. L-nching Black people is not a joke. It's worse than r-pe...,' she said during the podcast.

Handler also condemned jokes about Sheryl Underwood's late husband, who died by suicide. 'Them making fun of Sherryl Underwood's dead husband who comitted s—cide is gross... I wasn't fine with that. There was so much disgustingness, I knew it was gonna be a gross vibe.'

Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe Face Backlash

The Netflix roast quickly became one of the most talked-about comedy events of the year because of its aggressive tone and political jabs. Tony Hinchcliffe drew criticism for a George Floyd joke during his set, while social media users resurfaced earlier controversies surrounding both comics.

One George Floyd reference especially angered viewers online, with critics accusing Netflix and Kevin Hart of allowing material that went far beyond traditional roast humour. Representatives connected to the George Floyd Foundation also condemned the joke publicly.

Handler herself became part of the night's biggest exchange after Gillis joked about her politics, Judaism and a past dinner linked to Jeffrey Epstein. She fired back onstage with a line referencing Gillis' previous anti-Asian controversy that once cost him a spot on Saturday Night Live.

Social Media Remains Divided Over Roast Comedy

The fallout has exposed a major divide over what audiences now expect from celebrity roasts. Some viewers defended the comics, arguing roast specials are designed to be offensive and uncomfortable.

Others sided with Handler, saying jokes involving lynching, racism and suicide no longer feel like edgy comedy. However, some users on social media have also accused Handler of hypocrisy because of controversial jokes from her own past.

Furthermore, Netflix has not commented on the backlash surrounding The Roast of Kevin Hart, but clips from the special continue circulating online as debate around roast comedy grows louder.