Shane Gillis hosts a brutally hilarious night packed with celebrity surprises, wild punchlines and absolutely zero mercy
Netflix officially found its groove with these live celebrity roasts.
After The Roast of Tom Brady became a viral sensation, The Roast of Kevin Hart somehow managed to get even louder, more chaotic and far more unhinged. Streaming live from the Kia Forum as part of Netflix Is A Joke Fest 2026, the event turned into a full-scale comedy warzone where absolutely nobody was safe.
Not Kevin Hart.
Not Tom Brady.
Not Katt Williams.
Not The Rock.
Not Tony Hinchcliffe.
Nobody.
And yes, every line imaginable was crossed.
Race jokes, relationship jokes, celebrity scandals, cancel culture commentary, homophobic jokes and brutally personal attacks flew nonstop throughout the evening. Some audience members initially looked stunned trying to process the level of chaos happening onstage, but eventually the room settled into exactly what this event was always supposed to be: a true roast.
Hosted by Shane Gillis, the night immediately established its tone from the opening moments. Gillis fully leaned into being “the extremely white host,” while The Roots serving as the house band instantly gave the event strong Philly energy throughout the night. Kevin Hart’s connection to Philadelphia was constantly woven into the production, and honestly, it worked really well.
The production value itself deserves real praise too.
From the opening video package introducing Kevin Hart versus the entire roast panel to the custom graphics used throughout the event, Netflix clearly wanted this to feel larger than a traditional comedy special. It felt like a major live-event spectacle.
Then Usher entered the stage.
Opening the show with “Caught Up” before transitioning into a parody version of “Let It Burn” aimed directly at Kevin Hart was the perfect chaotic kickoff. Sure, it was staged and intentionally performative, but that was exactly the point. The skit immediately loosened the crowd up while setting the tone for the absurd celebrity energy the night would continue delivering.
And once Kevin Hart declared his roast would be better than Tom Brady’s legendary 2024 special, you knew Brady himself had to appear.
The NFL icon quickly stepped out to defend himself, immediately roasting Hart’s height, career and personal scandals before delivering one of the funniest jokes of the night involving Spirit Airlines. The crowd was instantly locked in.
Shane Gillis Keeps the Chaos Moving While Celebrity Guests Bring the Heat
One of the biggest strengths of the event was pacing.
Unlike some comedy specials or live events that start dragging midway through, The Roast of Kevin Hart moved fast and rarely slowed down. Shane Gillis did an excellent job balancing offensive humor, crowd control and awkward tension while constantly pushing the show forward.
And once the roasters settled in, the night truly found its rhythm.
Chelsea Handler came out firing immediately with one of the sharpest sets of the evening, while Lizzo surprised audiences by proving she could roast just as effectively as she could perform. Pete Davidson also delivered several huge laughs, especially targeting Tony Hinchcliffe, who somehow became the designated punching bag for nearly the entire night.
Draymond Green constantly getting booed by the Los Angeles crowd because he plays for the Golden State Warriors became a hilarious running gag throughout the show as well.
Still, one of the evening’s biggest surprises was just how many non-comedians actually handled the roast format well. The writers behind the event deserve a lot of credit because several celebrity guests who are not known for stand-up comedy still landed major laughs.
Sheryl Underwood and Tony Hinchcliffe Steal the Night
The two biggest comedic standouts of the evening were easily Sheryl Underwood and Tony Hinchcliffe.
Sheryl Underwood completely took over the room the moment she stepped onstage. Her opening remarks about freedom of speech immediately grabbed the crowd before she launched into one brutal joke after another.
“Sheryl Underwood delivered the funniest, boldest and most completely unfiltered set of the entire night.”
She roasted Kevin Hart, Shane Gillis, Chelsea Handler, Tony Hinchcliffe, Draymond Green and pretty much everybody else sitting onstage. Her delivery felt natural, fearless and completely authentic in a way some of the more scripted celebrity appearances occasionally did not.
The standing ovation she received was absolutely deserved.
Tony Hinchcliffe, meanwhile, spent nearly the entire night getting roasted by everyone else before finally grabbing the microphone himself and unloading.
And once he started, he never let up.
“Fast-paced and completely relentless, Tony Hinchcliffe delivered one of the night’s most vicious and crowd-pleasing sets.”
Love him or hate him, the man understands roast comedy structure at an elite level.
Katt Williams and Kevin Hart Deliver the Night’s Biggest Surprise
The roast smartly saved several of its biggest surprises for later in the night.
Teyana Taylor showing up was already a huge moment, but the atmosphere inside the Forum completely shifted once Regina Hall brought out Katt Williams.
Given the public tension between Hart and Williams over the past few years, the crowd instantly understood the significance of the moment. Katt leaned directly into their history together, joking about Kevin’s career, industry success and fame while still maintaining the same unpredictable energy that has made him such a legendary comic.
And honestly, it worked incredibly well.
But the most memorable part came afterward when Kevin Hart publicly paused the roast to squash the beef with Williams onstage in front of the audience.
It became one of the few genuinely sincere moments of the entire evening.
For a brief second, the event stopped being about destruction and became something bigger about respect, legacy and comedy culture itself.
The Rock Arrives and Kevin Hart Closes the Night Strong
Despite fans questioning whether Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would actually appear, he absolutely showed up and instantly elevated the spectacle.
Pyro. Music. Standing ovation. Full superstar energy.
The Rock fully committed to the roast format too, throwing brutal shots at Kevin Hart, Jeff Ross, Shane Gillis and nearly everybody else sitting onstage. His chemistry with Hart remains fantastic because both clearly understand exactly how to play off each other.
But what truly separated this roast from the Brady special came during the ending.
Instead of closing with another comic, Kevin Hart himself finished the night with nearly 15 minutes of raw clap-backs aimed at everyone who roasted him throughout the evening.
And honestly? Kevin was fantastic.
“Kevin Hart closed the night with a sharp, hilarious and wildly personal reminder of why he remains one of comedy’s biggest stars.”
The final segment felt loose, aggressive and authentic rather than overly rehearsed, which ultimately gave the entire event a stronger finish.
Final Thoughts
The Roast of Kevin Hart delivered exactly what audiences wanted from Netflix’s latest live comedy event: celebrity chaos, surprise appearances, uncomfortable laughter and nonstop brutal punchlines.
Not every set fully landed, and some moments leaned too heavily into staged skits rather than pure roast comedy. But once the night found its rhythm, it became absolutely hilarious.
The biggest winners of the evening were Shane Gillis, Sheryl Underwood, Tony Hinchcliffe and Kevin Hart himself, who ultimately reminded everyone why he remains one of the biggest stars in comedy.
Most importantly, Netflix continues proving that live comedy events still work when they feel dangerous, unpredictable and completely out of control.
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I’m a dedicated aficionado of all things movies, pop culture, and entertainment. With a passion for storytelling and a love for the silver screen, I’m constantly immersed in the world of cinema, exploring new releases, classics, and hidden gems alike. As a fervent advocate for the power of film to inspire, entertain, and provoke thought, I enjoy sharing my insights, reviews, and recommendations with fellow enthusiasts.