A roast is, by design, a wildfire of jokes — fast-moving, impossible to contain, and fueled by the comedians brave enough to stand closest to its flames.
The Roast of Kevin Hart did precisely what a high-level roast should do: It delivered scorching jokes that left the conversation burning long after it was over.
Few comedians commanded more attention throughout the evening than Sheryl Underwood. The Emmy-winning comedian and former The Talk co-host quickly became one of the night’s biggest conversation starters, capturing the sharp, unpredictable energy that defines a great roast.
Underwood sat down with Tudum to discuss comedy, the evolving art of the roast, and what still makes audiences laugh.
Jeff Ross, Pete Davidson, Tiffany Haddish, Cynthia Kaye McWilliams, Draymond Green, Duane Martin, Lizzo, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Sheryl Underwood
“A lot of people felt bad for me because they were talking about my husband’s suicide,” Underwood says. “But those jokes were written so well that they made me laugh. I believe the line is the intention of the comedian and the construction of the joke.”
Underwood draws a distinction between humor that pushes boundaries and humor that crosses into cruelty. Though she’s a strong advocate for free speech in comedy, she believes comics still have to live with the reactions to their jokes.
“It’s not about the line; it’s about who you’ve got to face when you walk out. If somebody is waiting on you, I got nothing for you, man. Shouldn’t have told your joke. The audience lets you know when you’ve gone too far and have to course correct.”
Though you’d never guess it from her composed takedowns during The Roast of Kevin Hart, Underwood says roasting is still a nerve-racking experience. “We’re all colleagues, but everybody’s nervous. Even if you look cool as a cucumber, everybody’s nervous because you don’t know what somebody is going to say — what their ad lib is going to be. You use that anxious energy as fuel.”
Underwood’s rebuttal quickly won over both the live audience and viewers at home.
“At the end, The Rock [Dwayne Johnson] talked to me about what could happen next. He said, ‘Sheryl, you did your thing. What do you want to do after this?’ For somebody to notice you — you want to be seen, heard, and respected. That night, I was seen, heard, and respected.”
So, what does Underwood want to do next? First and foremost, she’ll return to Netflix for a comedy special produced by Kevin Hart in 2027.
“I’m ready to go to work. That’s all I want to do — work, help people feed their families, spread joy and laughter, and make content. I thank Netflix and Kevin Hart and everybody who played a role in this.”
Shane Gillis, Sheryl Underwood, and Na’im Lynn
As Underwood maps out her own next chapter, she’s also thinking about how Netflix’s growing investment in comedy could create opportunities for performers who feel overlooked by the industry.
“Those acts who think that their time has passed — it has not. Your dream doesn’t die for somebody else’s dream to live. All those old-school comics that think, ‘I’m never going to get the shot’ — let’s develop a process where new comics and old comics can get their shot. Netflix is the key now.”
As comedy evolves through projects like Netflix is a Joke Fest and Funny AF with Kevin Hart, Underwood believes audiences are becoming more open to sharper, riskier forms of humor.
“Netflix has advanced the public’s view of a part of American humor, which is roasting someone,” she says. “In this generation, they go for the jugular. ”
On a personal level, Underwood believes the roast spawned a reintroduction. “People knew me. First as a comic, then as a daytime talk show host [The Talk]. Now I’m being rediscovered.”
With stand-up shows, a memoir, and a Netflix special all on the horizon, Underwood plans to make the most of the momentum.
“This Netflix notoriety is allowing me to accelerate the content I want to produce, allowing the world to get to know me better. We can bring talent together. We can bring the country together. Through television, radio, social media — across all formats and genres. People say, ‘How can you do all of this?’ You’ve got to do it at the right time. You’ve got to pace yourself.”
And to those asking how she plans to juggle it all, Underwood’s answer is simple: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
Check back with Tudum for future updates on Underwood’s Netflix special, and click here to watch her in The Roast of Kevin Hart.
