Tony Hinchcliffe Faces Backlash for Sheryl Underwood Joke at Netflix Roast

Tony Hinchcliffe is facing backlash after multiple jokes about Sheryl Underwood’s late husband during Kevin Hart’s Netflix roast sparked heated reactions online. While The Roast of Kevin Hart was built around the anything-goes energy that has become standard for Netflix’s live roast format, several viewers said the jokes crossed a line by targeting a deeply personal tragedy Underwood has spoken publicly about for years.

During the live event at the Kia Forum on Sunday night, May 10, Hinchcliffe referenced the suicide of Underwood’s husband while delivering a set aimed at several people seated on the dais. “Her husband committed suicide three years into the marriage,” Hinchcliffe said. “I’ve been sitting next to her for two hours, and I have to ask: how did he last that long?”

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Cameras immediately cut to Underwood, who appeared to laugh at the joke alongside the rest of the crowd.

Not one to back down, Underwood clapped back with a pointed roast of her own. “Question for the day is, who has had more Black d*ck in this town? Me or Chelsea Handler? The answer is Tony Hinchcliff,” she said.

Host Shane Gillis also repeatedly referenced the tragedy earlier in the night. In one of the more controversial moments, Gillis joked about Underwood’s husband jumping from a building before adding another line tied to the Golden State Warriors logo featuring the Bay Bridge.

The moment quickly became one of the biggest talking points from the roast, which already generated headlines over Gillis’ tense back-and-forth with Chelsea Handler earlier in the evening.

For Underwood, the subject matter wasn’t new. She has openly discussed the loss of her husband, Michael Sparkman, who died by suicide in 1990 after battling depression.

During a 2018 episode of The Talk following the death of fashion designer Kate Spade, Underwood became emotional while speaking about the lasting impact suicide leaves on families. “That pain … it doesn’t go away,” she said at the time.

She also revealed that her husband left behind a note, adding that “the person who is no longer alive has now had the final word.”

Underwood also said that her husband had struggled with severe depression during their marriage and died three years after they wed. “It’s the most painful thing in the world because he is not coming back,” she said in a 2016 interview.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available. In the United States and Canada, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.