Stephen A. Smith says Kevin Hart’s Netflix roast joke hurt because it came from someone he thought knew him better.
The ESPN personality addressed the joke on Straight Shooter with Stephen A. after Hart named him during a “Mount Rushmore of racism” bit in Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart. Smith said he understood the setting, but the line still “stung like hell.”
“I have no issue with the joke. I have an issue with the fact that it came from him,” Smith said, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Smith Said Hart’s Joke Felt Personal
Hart made the joke while taking a shot at roast host Shane Gillis. He named Gillis, Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Smith as his four people “when it comes to hating Black people,” Entertainment Weekly reported.
Smith was not at the roast and said he learned about the joke afterward. His response focused less on the existence of roast comedy and more on Hart using his name in that specific category.
Smith said he thought he had a “pretty damn good relationship” with Hart. He said Hart had appeared on his show several times and that the two had known each other for years.
The Line Hit a Narrative Smith Rejects
Smith said the joke bothered him because he believes it fed a false narrative about him.
“Knowing I’ve spent my life fighting on behalf of my community, that people try to continue this narrative about me that I know is false, [it] hurts to hear out of the mouth of anyone who knows me,” Smith said, according to Entertainment Weekly.
ClutchPoints reported that Smith said he could answer more aggressively, but chose not to because Hart had never done anything to him that deserved that kind of response.
Smith Connected the Joke to Political Criticism
Smith also tied the joke to criticism he says he has faced over his political commentary. Entertainment Weekly reported that Smith called Hart’s roast joke the “latest salvo” in his direction.
Smith accused critics of wanting him to “kowtow” politically and said he was “not built like that.” He framed the criticism as part of a broader public narrative he believes has been pushed against him.
Those comments should stay attributed to Smith. He was describing how he believes critics have treated him, not offering a neutral account of what any party or organization formally did.
Smith Said He Still Has Love for Hart
Smith did not turn the segment into a feud with Hart.
“Anybody expected me to go after Kevin Hart, you got the wrong man,” Smith said, according to Entertainment Weekly. “I’ve always had a lot of love for him, I will continue to have a lot of love for him.”
His complaint was narrower than a demand for roast comedy to become gentle. Smith said the joke landed differently because Hart was the person who said it.
Hart’s Roast Was Already Facing Backlash
Smith’s comments came while Hart’s Netflix roast was already under scrutiny for other race-related jokes. Hart previously addressed criticism of Tony Hinchcliffe’s George Floyd joke during an appearance on The Breakfast Club.
Hart said Hinchcliffe’s joke “wasn’t tasteful,” according to People, while also saying roast comedy often includes offensive material.
ClutchPoints reported that Hart had not responded to Smith’s comments at the time of its coverage. Smith’s objection is separate from the Hinchcliffe backlash because the joke about him came from Hart directly.