Kevin Hart says Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson went too far with his on-stage remark.
It’s been weeks since Netflix’s “The Roast of Kevin Hart” sparked controversy across social media.
While the backlash focused on one unnecessary joke about George Floyd, Hart is revealing another moment that completely caught him off guard.
And surprisingly, it was worse than a joke about his wife.
During a recent appearance on the Wednesday, June 3, episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Hart looked back on the celebrity-packed roast.
“I think the one that caught me off guard, Dwayne,” Hart told Kimmel when asked what joke particularly hurt the most.
Johnson’s comedic set during the May 10 special was filled with deeply personal shots.
The former WWE superstar came with shocking value jokes about his co-star’s height and a direct aim at Hart’s marriage to Eniko Hart.
Kevin Hart organized a roasting show where celebrities roast him.
— ︎ ︎venom (@venom1s) May 24, 2026
The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) joked about sleeping with Kevin Hart’s wife Eniko and made Kevin sit in the cuck chair.
Even if it’s a roast, is there no self-respect left for men when it comes to their wife and… pic.twitter.com/JOKtLRFzBu
At one point, Johnson joked that Eniko “deserves an award” for pretending to enjoy intimacy with her short husband.
The crowd erupted as Hart became the target once again.
Yet Hart said another joke landed harder.
Johnson compared photos of their fathers during his set. He first displayed a flattering image of his father, wrestling legend Rocky Johnson. Then he revealed a photo of Hart’s father, Henry Witherspoon.
Philly native immediately knew where the joke was headed.
“It was the worst picture of my father I’ve ever seen,” Hart recalled. The comedian laughed while telling the story, but admitted the moment surprised him.
He added, “The worst picture of my father. It caught me off guard, but it was funny.” The image reportedly showed Witherspoon sitting shirtless.
The Rock putting a picture of his father, Rocky “Soulman”Johnson, side by side with a picture of Kevin Hart’s father was diabolical. pic.twitter.com/hiWWaTDBhO
— Hollywood Gump (@FirstNameJ0hn) May 11, 2026
Despite the shock, Hart made clear he holds no resentment.
“If you look at the history of roasts, they’ve always been brutal. The object of a roast is to hurt, but do it from a place of love,” he explained.
“Everyone knows why we’re here. We’re here to have fun. But I’m still going to try to say some s—t to really rattle you,” Hart continued.
That philosophy has become a major talking point online.
The same roast generated weeks of backlash after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe delivered a joke involving George Floyd.
“The Black community is so proud of you,” Hinchcliffe told Hart before adding, “Right now George Floyd is looking up at us all, laughing so hard he can’t breathe.”
The joke immediately ignited outrage. Many viewers felt Floyd’s death should never become comedy material. Critics also questioned Hart’s role as executive producer. The backlash intensified further given that Hart had attended memorial events honoring Floyd following his 2020 death.
George Floyd’s family publicly condemned the joke.
A representative for The Gianna and George Floyd Foundation called the moment “sad for the culture” and criticized comedians for repeatedly using Floyd’s death as a punchline.
As outrage grew, Hart addressed the controversy during an appearance on “The Breakfast Club.”
“The George Floyd joke, it wasn’t a tasteful joke to our culture, to our audience,” Hart admitted.
Still, he defended the roast format.
@theusmilitarynews.130 Tony Hinchcliffe's Unhinged George Floyd Joke!!! 😂😂😂 ｜ The roast of Kevin Hart
♬ original sound – The US Military News
“You get why the racial humor is on the table. I wasn’t shocked. That’s what they do,” he said. Hart also pushed back against demands that he should have intervened during the live event.
“People are talking about that joke. Talk about his set. Tony Hinchcliffe arguably had the best set or one of the best sets,” Hart argued.
Observers remained split about the roast after the latest interview.
“The Rock roast Kevin Hart better, no one roasts Kevin the way Dwayne does,” one X user tweeted.
Another added, “Kevin Hart caught off guard? The Rock’s roast game is no joke.”
Not everyone was impressed. “He’s still talking about that. They really shove this guy down our throats,” another critic posted.
YouTube commenters were even harsher, claiming Hart’s demeanor has changed.
“That roast backlash really changed Kevin. He was the most serious I’ve ever seen him in an interview,” one viewer wrote.
Another commented, “Don’t like sellout Kevin! All money ain’t good money! What would his mom say about that horrible joke.”
A third person added, “Kevin don’t be coming up on my JiK show trying to save yourself. U fkd up!”
Hart might have thick skin when jokes about his wife or father hit the stage. He even shielded the comedians who went there. But fans aren’t feeling it. George Floyd isn’t fair game — and no amount of centering his own pain changes that. Weeks later, the joke about a man brutally killed by police is still what everyone is talking about.
