Shawn and Marlon Wayans shared their take on Tony Hinchcliffe’s controversial George Floyd joke during the Kevin Hart roast.
During a recent conversation with Hollywood Unlocked, the comedy duo said edgy material has always been part of stand-up, but say comedians still have to deliver a strong punchline when tackling painful subjects.
“You’re supposed to take it there,” Shawn said. Marlon agreed but explained that controversial jokes come with immediate consequences if audiences are not laughing.
“You gotta understand, if you take it there, and you go there, and you get that ‘Ooooooh,’ you better make sure the laugh is worth the offense,” Marlon noted. “That laugh doesn’t hit, and that meter falls fast in your face.”
Marlon and Shawn Wayans react to the Kevin Hart roast and Tony Hinchcliffe’s George Floyd joke, saying it wasn’t funny enough to justify making it, but that comedians still shouldn’t be canceled over comedy
— Killa (@KillaKreww) May 19, 2026
“If you find the right joke and George Floyd family laugh, you did… pic.twitter.com/mQSwSLSncj
The White Chicks star later said Hinchcliffe did not land the joke the way he intended.
“It just wasn’t funny enough, and in this case it’s too sensitive, and he didn’t find the right joke,” Marlon continued. “If you find the right joke and George Floyd’s family laughs, you did the right joke.”
Hinchliffe drew backlash after saying during the roast, “Right now, George Floyd is looking up at us all laughing so hard he can’t breathe.”
The moment quickly went viral, leading to pushback from viewers and Floyd’s brother, Terrence Floyd, who later said Hart should have stopped the joke. Hart later defended Hinchcliffe’s appearance on Instagram, calling the comedian “funny” and praising him for understanding “the assignment.”