Comedian Wanda Sykes says she declined an appearance on Netflix’s “The Roast of Kevin Hart.” In interviews, Sykes explains that Kevin Hart reached out to her directly before the event was publicly announced, and she told him “No.” She says she felt comfortable with her decision and criticized what she described as the roast format, saying it relies on what she characterized as “lazy writing” and “recycled sexist, racist, gay jokes.”
Sykes also discusses comments she received after making a joke about Bill Maher at the 2026 Golden Globes. According to her account, she received unsolicited feedback about that joke, including reactions that affected the way she thought about the response. While the sources focus on Sykes’s perspective on both the roast decision and the Golden Globes moment, they do not indicate that Netflix or Hart provided a separate statement in response. The reporting centers on Sykes’s explanations for her choice not to participate and the reaction her on-stage material generated.
