Back in May, Netflix subscription holders bore witness to a star-studded event amid the 2024 TV schedule when The Roast of Tom Brady was live-streamed on the platform. The TV special, which was held at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, was ultimately successful, as it reportedly raked in massive viewership numbers for the streamer. However, Brady himself later stated that he regretted participating in the roast. A handful of the comics involved have since commented on Brady’s sentiments, sharing nuanced thoughts on the matter. Now, Kevin Hart – who served as the host that night – is weighing in, and he has a lot of thoughts to share.
What Did Tom Brady Say About The Roast After It Premiered?
The former New England Patriots player shared thoughts on the highly watched roast only days after it was streamed. As the 46-year-old ex-quarterback explained while on The Pivot Podcast, he wasn’t so much displeased with the jokes that were aimed at him personally. What he ultimately wasn’t all that happy about, though, was the way in which the roast impacted his kids:
I loved when the jokes were about me. I thought they were so fun. I didn’t like the way they affected my kids. It’s the hardest part about, like the bittersweet aspect of when you do something that you think is one way and then all of a sudden you realize 'I wouldn’t do that again because of the way that it affected actually the people that I care about the most in the world.'
To be clear, Brady’s three kids weren’t actually the target of jokes during the event. Yet, after the fact, they apparently weren’t too happy about the jokes made at their dad’s expense, some of which tangentially related to them. The 80 for Brady star’s ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen, was also allegedly upset with the jokes, a number of which involved her. Tom also explained that he went into the roast fully prepared to be made fun of by the likes of Jeff Ross and Kevin Hart. However, he admitted that with a project like that, “you don’t see the full picture all the time.” As for how it’ll impact him moving forward, the seven-time Super Bowl winner added:
It's a good lesson for me as a parent. I'm going to be a better parent as I go forward because of it. At the same time, I'm happy everyone there had a lot of fun.
Comedian Nikki Glaser reacted to Tom Brady’s comments as well as his apparent displeasure with a joke made about Patriots owner Robert Kraft during the LA-based event. When addressing the backlash from the athlete’s family, Glaser said that she could “understand” that Brady was unprepared for that. However, the Trainwreck alum also opined that someone as meticulous as Brady “does not do anything without doing his research and knowing what he’s getting into.” Kevin Hart’s comments somewhat line up with Glaser’s, but his analysis arguably goes a bit deeper.
How Did Kevin Hart Respond To The NFL Legend’s Comments About The Roast?
The Lift star went hard on the Tom Brady jokes during the roast and, before the show, he even joked that he was ready to “lose the relationship” that he has with the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneer. The actor/producer discussed Brady’s comments while appearing on the Taylor Rooks X podcast (which is on YouTube). When asked for his thoughts, the Jumanji star explained why he believes Brady doesn’t regret the roast itself:
I think what he’s referring to is saying, ‘I could’ve tapered it a little differently, saying or having a conversation pre[-show].’ Of like, ‘Guys, let’s go and do this, but let’s not touch this or this.’ And I think the idea of going all in and just saying, ‘Fuck it, I don’t care, because I know the world would love to see me being on the receiving end of shit, because I’m Tom Brady and I’ve been at the highest stage all my life.’ So I think it was that. Also, what it did for comedy and our climate of sensitivity, I think was necessary and valuable. Although, I can side with Tom and see where he’s coming from and just him wanting to protect the idea of family and the conversation attached to that. That’s probably where that’s coming from.
Kevin Hart went on to state his belief that the event as a whole made people comfortable with the “concept of a joke being a joke” and “just” that. He also lauded the comedians on the dias, who showed that they were “sharp” talents. Additionally, Hart explained that he pitched himself as host by emphasizing that he could be someone to set the tone and provide the appropriate level of “shock value” necessary for such a show. The Think Like a Man star then added the following sentiments:
If we really dissect the roast, I went out there, and I made people comfortable with the uncomfortable, at the top of it. I hit Tom first, I hit the audience, I hit the stage, I hit the people. And I did it in a way where it was still likable and fun. [I] didn’t come off malicious. ‘Fuck you, Tom!’ I’m playing. … But I set the stage to go, ‘Ooooh!’ and laugh. But you got comfortable with hearing it.
Whether or not the jokes went too far is up to personal interpretation, but what can be said is that Kevin Hart and co. did indeed draw some wild reactions from the Brady roast’s crowd. That was confirmed by CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb, who was in attendance that evening. Right now, it seems that Kevin Hart, Tom Brady and others are sticking by their respective stances on the roast, and I’m intrigued as to whether anyone else will discuss it as time goes on.
