Pete Davidson has never been known for playing it safe, with the comedian building his entire career of saying the quiet part out loud.
So when he stepped into the spotlight at the Roast of Kevin Hart , it was always likely to get messy.
Davidson arrived in full attack mode, setting his sights on fellow comic Tony Hinchcliffe, a right-leaning stand-up who’s often associated with the broader Joe Rogan-adjacent comedy crowd.
The pair have history, and Davidson didn’t appear interested in easing up.
Conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated last September, and his death sparked intense outrage from the political right toward anyone seen as joking about it.
Vice President JD Vance and then Attorney General Pam Bondi both warned of consequences for people who tried to make light of the killing.
Despite that, in the months since, Kirk’s name has still been dragged into internet humor, with memes and edits circulating widely.
His wife, Erika, has also been pulled into the online churn, with her conduct after her husband’s death repeatedly scrutinized and mocked across social platforms.
Davidson kicked off his Hinchcliffe segment with a shot at his look, then immediately escalated: “Tony Hinchcliffe is here, looking like both a child molester and the doll they give the child to show where he touched them.
Pete Davidson made a Charlie Kirk joke toward Tony Hinchcliffe and calls Ye a ‘gay Nazi’ during Kevin Hart’s roast.
“Tony reminds me of Charlie Kirk, and that’s he’s definitely been on camera letting a guy unload in his throat. Oh you don’t know me? yeah ‘Kill Tony.’ Please… pic.twitter.com/JGmZMX2AAk
— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) May 11, 2026
“Tony reminds me of Charlie Kirk, in that he’s definitely been on camera letting a guy unload in his throat.”
The venue reacted with a mix of audible disgust and big laughter.
He wasn’t done there either, turning to Hinchcliffe’s show and adding: “Please someone f*cking ‘Kill Tony’. Tony, nothing you say tonight will hurt my feelings. I was in a beef with Kanye so I’ve taken shots from better gay Nazis.”
It didn’t take long for the moment to travel across X, where reactions quickly split into two camps.
Critics of the material condemned the Kirk reference in particular. “It’s crazy that we live in a timeline where it’s acceptable to speak like this on an innocent man,” one person wrote.
“He is joking but he is serious at the same time. These people are glad that you’re gone because they don’t see you as human.”
Another commenter focused on Davidson’s delivery and intent: “Pete going savage on Tony with Charlie Kirk jab is a sad attempt to stay relevant and the vibe didn’t match. He was once cool.”
But others dismissed the backlash as performative.
“Oh man, the angry comments here. If you’re mad about Peter mocking either Charlie Kirk or tony Hinchcliffe, you’re a loser,” one user replied.
And another viewer put it more plainly: “Pete Davidson really work up and chose maximum chaos for this roast.”