Sheryl Underwood revealed that she was surprised by the jokes made by Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe about her husband’s suicide during the Netflix comedy special, “The Roast of Kevin Hart,” saying, “I didn’t know it was coming.” But, she did warn them, it was not her they’d have to answer to.
“When they talked to me about how they were coming at me. I said it better be funny,” Underwood said to Entertainment Tonight. “But I also told them, whatever you say, it’s not me that you gotta deal with, it’s who’s waiting for you outside.”
She added, “It’s in poor taste, but that’s how they roast now. I didn’t know it was coming.”
But Underwood didn’t take the joke lying down, and was quick to respond when it was her turn to roast. She told the audience, “Question for the day is, who has had more Black d—k in this town? Me or Chelsea Handler? The answer is Tony Hinchcliffe.”
“As a comic on a roast, if you don’t have a good comeback, you will really damage the whole discussion if you say something wack in return,” Underwood said to Entertainment Tonight.
The Newark, New Jersey, comedian had already responded to questions about whether she believes Hinchcliffe and Gillis’ jokes crossed the line, telling Netflix’s Tudum that even if she can appreciate the comedy, the audience’s opinion matters more.
“A lot of people felt bad for me because they were talking about my husband’s suicide,” she said. “But those jokes were written so well that they made me laugh. I believe the line is the intention of the comedian and the construction of the joke.”
She continued, “It’s not about the line; it’s about who you’ve got to face when you walk out. If somebody is waiting on you, I got nothing for you, man. Shouldn’t have told your joke. The audience lets you know when you’ve gone too far and have to course correct.”
