Kevin Hart’s Netflix roast brought together a packed lineup of comedians, celebrities, and brutal punchlines, but it also generated plenty of conversation after some of its edgier jokes landed online. From references to race and celebrity scandals to deeply personal family jokes, The Roast of Kevin Hart quickly turned into one of the more talked-about comedy events of the week.

Among those noticeably absent from the live Netflix special was Michael Che, despite reports that the Saturday Night Live star had originally been expected to appear. While many assumed scheduling may have played a role, Che remained publicly quiet in the immediate aftermath of the roast.

That silence, however, did not last long.

Shortly after the Netflix roast aired, Michael Che took to Instagram to seemingly criticize the writing team behind the special while also revealing frustrations with the tone of some of the humor. According to Variety, Che had originally been scheduled to participate in the live event but ultimately pulled out because of scheduling conflicts tied to Saturday Night Live.

“White guys and Black people joke different.” In one Instagram post, Che appeared to distinguish different styles of comedy, writing. He went on to joke that Black roasts tend to focus on smaller, playful insults, while white roasts often lean into darker territory involving “family secrets” and deeply personal topics.

“Let’s do a roast celebrating the career of the most successful Black comic in the last 10 years. I love that! Who should we get to write it?” In a separate Instagram post, Che mocked what he framed as a creative decision behind the special, writing. He then shared a photo of five writers brought in by roast host Shane Gillis — all of whom were white — before adding: “C’monnnnnnnnn… that’s not funny?”

It is worth noting, however, that The Roast of Kevin Hart credited 17 writers overall, several of whom were Black, according to reports from Entertainment Weekly and Variety. Multiple comedians on the roast also reportedly hired their own individual writing teams, including Gillis and Chelsea Handler.

‘The Roast of Kevin Hart’ Writers Reveal the Jokes That Never Made the Final Cut

But Che’s comments also arrived as several jokes from the Netflix special were already sparking backlash online.

Several comedians during the roast pushed into particularly edgy territory, with jokes referencing slavery, race, George Floyd, Sean Combs parties, and Hart’s late father’s struggles with addiction. Host Shane Gillis even joked that one slavery-related punchline required “three weeks of deliberation” before making it into the show.

Despite criticism online, longtime roast comic Jeff Ross defended the special while speaking to Variety the day after the telecast, saying: “Nothing was off limits.” One of the writers Che highlighted, J.P. McDade, also appeared to respond indirectly by reposting Che’s Instagram Story — though only the image featuring the writing staff — while jokingly captioning it: “Don’t swipe.”

'The Roast of Kevin Hart': Cast, Release Date, Where to Watch and Everything to Know

What did you think of The Roast of Kevin Hart — too far, or exactly what a roast should be? Let us know in the comments.