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Former NBA player Stephen Jackson, who was friends with George Floyd prior to his murder at the hands of Derek Chauvin, shared a lengthy video on social media in which he is discussed Kevin Hart and his controversial Netflix roast. Jackson, like many people who have taken issue with the roast’s content, took specific umbrage with Tony Hinchcliffe.
The former NBA champion and close friend of George Floyd specifically addressed Kevin Hart’s interview on The Breakfast Club — in which Hart defended Hinchcliffe and shirked taking any responsibility for the event’s content — and confirmed that Hart reached out to him personally after the roast — and that the call did not change his stance in the slightest.
George Floyd’s friend and former NBA player Stephen Jackson shared a lengthy video addressing The Roast of Kevin Hart
“Kev did reach out to me. I’ve been knowing Kev a long time, bro,” Jackson said. “I didn’t agree with the joke. When he called me, he was basically telling me… out of respect as friends and basically I cut him off. I know what a roast is.”
Jackson did clarify that while he’s not mad at Hart, he does have issues with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who made the joke about George Floyd being in hell.
“Am I mad at him? No, I ain’t mad at him. He didn’t say it. Kev, my boy. Get your money Kev. I’m glad you was number one. I appreciate him calling me… My hate is directed strictly at who said it… point blank. I directed my problems dead at the guy [Hinchcliffe].”
Jackson explained that beyond his personal connection to Floyd, he’s uncomfortable with making jokes about people who have died and cited Charlie Kirk in his explanation.
“I would never laugh at no joke about dead people. Anytime somebody demeans the dead it turns my stomach because it’s the lowest thing you can do,” Jackson said. “Joking on anybody, Charlie Kirk, anybody — I would never laugh at somebody talking about somebody that got killed or somebody that’s not here. Demeaning the dead at any point at any time, it’s never funny to me regardless who it is.”
Stephen Jackson responds to Kevin Hart’s Breakfast Club interview, where Kevin claimed he called him after the Netflix roast and says he did not agree with the George Floyd joke, while making it clear he’s not mad at Kevin Hart.
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In the aftermath of the roast, Hinchcliffe has continued to stand by his material and trade barbs with fellow roaster Chelsea Handler through the media.