Comedians came ready to cross every line during Netflix’s roast of Kevin Hart, but Pete Davidson delivered one of the night’s most uncomfortable moments. His sharp jab involving conservative activist Charlie Kirk drew loud groans from the crowd and instantly became one of the most talked-about jokes from the live event.
Pete Davidson drops a Charlie Kirk joke at Kevin Hart’s roast
During The Roast of Kevin Hart at the Kia Forum in California, Davidson aimed at several controversial figures while roasting fellow comedian Tony Hinchcliffe. The former Saturday Night Live star compared Hinchcliffe to Kirk before making a graphic punchline that shocked the audience.
Davidson said, “Tony reminds me of Charlie Kirk, in that he’s definitely been on camera letting a guy unload in his throat.” Soon, the room reacted with audible groans almost immediately after the joke landed (via EW).
Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was killed during an onstage shooting at Utah Valley University in 2025. Hinchcliffe, meanwhile, has faced criticism before over controversial political jokes, including remarks he made during a Donald Trump rally in 2024. Davidson doubled down moments later, joking, “Please someone f—ing kill Tony.”
Davidson did not stop there. He also brought up Kanye West, referencing their highly publicized feud from the time Davidson dated Kim Kardashian. “I was in a beef with Kanye, so I’ve taken shots from better gay Nazis,” he said during the set.
West has previously faced backlash for antisemitic comments and statements praising Nazism, though he later publicly apologized in a Wall Street Journal ad.
The roast itself featured several big names, including Tom Brady, Chelsea Handler, Jeff Ross, and Dwayne Johnson. Despite the aggressive jokes, Davidson ended his appearance on a sincere note by praising Hart’s work ethic and influence in comedy. “You’ve always been super nice to me,” he told the host before wrapping up his set.
Originally reported by Rishabh Shandilya on Mandatory.
