Kevin Hart is stepping into the hot seat for Netflix’s next live roast event, following the massive success of the Tom Brady special that dominated streaming last year.
The ceremony takes place at 5 P.M. PT on Sunday, May 10, the final night of “Netflix Is a Joke Fest” at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, and according to Variety, Shane Gillis will host the event.
Hart’s been a roasting legend for years. He showed up at the Comedy Central Roast of Justin Bieber back in 2015 and absolutely demolished the stage with his material.
The man knows how to deliver jokes that land hard without crossing into territory that feels mean-spirited. He’s mastered the art of reading a room and knowing exactly when to push and when to pull back.
That’s why Netflix is trusting him to be the subject this time around.
The Tom Brady roast in 2024 was a cultural moment. Nikki Glaser hosted that one and it spent three weeks in Netflix’s Global Top 10, racking up 26 million views and earning an Emmy nomination for variety special.
That’s the bar Hart’s roast is trying to clear. Jeff Ross, who’s been involved in the roasting game for decades, teased back in November that Netflix had another roast coming in the spring.
He said they were looking for “a whale,” meaning a major celebrity who could handle the pressure.
Hart’s got the comedic chops to survive this. He’s been on both sides of the roast game, which means he knows every trick in the book.
The lineup of comedians who’ll take jabs at him hasn’t been announced yet, but you know Netflix is gonna bring serious talent.
“Netflix Is a Joke Fest” runs May 4-10 with over 350 live comedy events across Los Angeles venues.
The Hart roast is the grand finale, meaning Netflix is positioning it as the event of the festival.
The streaming giant has been building momentum with live comedy specials, and this roast is the capstone to that strategy.
The network is betting that Hart’s name and reputation will drive massive viewership.