Stephen A. Smith is finally speaking out — and he's making it clear that Kevin Hart's roast joke hit harder than most people realized. The ESPN personality addressed the moment on his SiriusXM show Straight Shooter on Wednesday, May 28, calling the joke one that "stung like hell" — not because of the content, but because of who delivered it.
During Hart's May 10 roast at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, the comedian placed Smith on his personal "Mount Rushmore" of Black people who "hate Black people" — a list that also included roast host Shane Gillis, Kid Rock, and Hulk Hogan. The room reportedly erupted, but Smith, who was not in attendance, learned about it through coverage afterward.
"I have no issue with the joke. I have an issue with the fact that it came from him."— Stephen A. Smith, SiriusXM Straight Shooter
A Friendship That Made the Joke Hit Different
"First of all, I got — at least I thought I had — a pretty damn good relationship with Kevin Hart. He's been on my show on many occasions," Smith told his audience. He was careful to separate the hurt from any real animosity, adding that Hart is still "a good dude" and that he has "a lot of love" for the comedian.
Smith also acknowledged that 2026 has been a difficult year for him personally, noting that "perceived positions" he's taken publicly have created friction and made moments like this one sting more than they might have otherwise.
No Bad Blood — Just Honesty
Smith stopped short of calling for any kind of public apology or confrontation. The message was more reflective than combative — a rare glimpse behind the curtain from one of sports and entertainment media's loudest voices. For now, it seems the two remain on good terms, with Smith's comments serving more as a moment of public vulnerability than a call-out.
The History Between Smith and Hart
The reason the joke stung, Smith explained on Straight Shooter, is the relationship he believed he had with Hart. The two have crossed paths professionally and socially on multiple occasions, and Smith says he considered Hart a friendly acquaintance — someone he would have expected to have his back rather than put him on a list. "It's different when it comes from a stranger," Smith said. "When it comes from somebody you know? That's something else."
Hart, for his part, has not publicly addressed Smith's response. Roasts are, by design, staged controversies — the conceit is that the subject has agreed to be targeted. What Smith is pushing back against is not the roast format itself but the specific nature of the joke and the source of it.
The Broader Context
The "Mount Rushmore of Black people who hate Black people" framing generated significant discussion beyond Smith's personal reaction. Several commentators noted that roast humor targeting Black public figures as race traitors carries a specific charge that differs from standard celebrity ribbing — and that Hart's choice to go there, even in a comedic context, raised legitimate questions about the intent and effect of the joke regardless of how it was received in the room. Smith's decision to address it publicly rather than privately suggests he wants that broader conversation, not just a personal resolution with Hart.