Now that the roast is over, Kevin Hart can be kind to Tom Brady.
The famed comedian expressed sympathy toward the retired NFL quarterback during a recent sit-down interview, noting that while Brady came out of the roast with some regrets, he feels the Netflix special was important for the comedy world overall.
“When he says he regretted doing it … I think he’s saying, ‘I could have tapered it a little differently, or [had] a conversation pre-, of like, ‘Guys, let’s go and do this, but let’s not touch this or this,’” Hart explained to Bleacher Report in reference to Brady feeling unhappy with the affect the jokes had on his kids: Jack, 16, Benjamin, 14, and Vivian, 11.
“The idea of going all in and just saying, ‘I don’t care, because I know the world would love to see me being on the receiving end of s— because I’m Tom Brady, and I’ve been at the highest stage all my life,’ I think it was that,” Hart — who hosted the live Netflix roast on Sunday, May 5 — said of the former New England Patriots star.
While Brady, 46, might have had certain snubs taken out of the roast if it hadn’t been aired in realtime, Hart still thinks the comedy special was a definite success.
“What it did for comedy and our climate of sensitivity, I think was necessary and of value,” the Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle actor, 45, declared.
Hart noted: “I can side with time 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. And you know, I’m not privy to whatever he dealt with after, so I know his response and saying something about it was a result of possibly that.”
From a professional standpoint, Hart said it was his hosting strategies that allowed every aspect of the roast to fall perfectly into place.
“If you really dissect the roast, I went out there and made people comfortable with the uncomfortable at the top of it,” he acknowledged. “I hit Tom. First I hit the audience, I hit the stage, I hit the people. I did it in a way where we’re still likable and fun and didn’t come off as malicious.”
If offered a chance to roast another legendary athlete, Hart wouldn’t hesitate — but there would be some requirements on his end of the deal.
“I would do it again,” Hart admitted. “But I need somebody at that level and somebody that’s OK with coming in and hearing the lay of the land.”
