Chelsea Handler slams Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis for making 'racist' jokes that should never be made

Warning: This article contains discussion of racial discrimination and rape which some readers may find distressing.

Chelsea Handler has hit out at fellow comedians for making jokes that had a racial element in during The Roast of Kevin Hart.

Roasts are not for the faint of heart, with the jokes often straying into the dangerously 'close to the line' territory.

Netflix's The Roast of Kevin Hart, which streamed earlier this month, was a particularly spicy one, including jokes from Pete Davidson about Charlie Kirk, jabs at Hart's affairs, and even mentions of his alleged involvement with convicted felon Diddy.

It seems like nothing was out of pocket, or not fair game.

However, fellow comedian Handler has hit out at comics Tony Hinchcliffe and Shane Gillis while speaking on Deon Cole's podcast over them making what she feels were racist jokes.

She said that white people should not be joking about Black people in that way, calling them 'racists' and 'bigots' while comparing lynching jokes to rape jokes.

During the show, Gillis made a joke that referenced lynching, while Hinchcliffe made a jibe that mentioned George Floyd.

Floyd, a Black man, died in 2020 after being restrained by a white police officer, who knelt on his neck until he stopped breathing.

Speaking on the podcast, Handler suggested that jokes involving Black trauma were 'disgusting', continuing to add that Hinchcliffe and Gillis were hiding behind 'roast culture'.

She suggested that she had already suspected a 'gross vibe' considering the line up of talent on the show.

Chelsea Handler goes OFF on Tony Hinchcliffe & Shane Gillis for making “racist” jokes at the Kevin Hart Roast and claims White people should NOT be joking about Black people in that kind of way since its equivalent to joking about r-pe 😳

“I knew enough about Tony & Shane…… pic.twitter.com/jjhgXUdPBz

— Killa 🌺 (@KillaKreww) May 20, 2026

Handler argued that there are just some things you shouldn't joke about, primarily lynchings, and went on to say that it was the same as making a joke about sexual assault.

She said: "I knew enough about Tony and Shane... They're racists, they're bigots, they're sexist... I don't find those jokes funny.

"Lynching Black people is not a joke. It's worse than rape."

Gillis has since shared a statement with The Hollywood Reporter in response to Handler’s comments, which read: "This is a big moment for Chelsea. I am glad she’s capitalizing. Good for her. We’re all rooting for her.

"Anyway come see me July 17 at the football stadium in Philly."

Hinchcliffe faced criticism on the night for making jokes about Floyd during his set, including from the Floyd family.

Travis Cains, a spokesman for The Gianna and George Floyd Foundation, told TMZ that Kevin not speaking out against Hinchcliffe's joke is 'sad for the culture'. The outlet was also told that Floyd's family feel Hinchcliffe is a 'racist comedian'.

Following his comments, a petition for Netflix to donate proceeds of the roast to the Floyd Family Center for Social Equity has received more than 10,000 signatures.

UNILAD has contacted reps for Gillis and Hinchcliffe for comment.

If you have been the victim of discrimination, you can report it via the US Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division here. In an emergency, always call 911.