Read as article
Jamie Foxx Says Kevin Hart Roast Forced Him to Cut Jokes
By @sharedot · · 6 pages
- Comedy
- Jamie Foxx
- Stand Up
- Hulu
Jamie Foxx tells The Hollywood Reporter the fallout from Kevin Hart's roast made him trim his new Hulu special 'Take Care of Yourself.'
What Happened: A Special Two Years in the Making
Jamie Foxx is returning with a second stand-up special in two years. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 'Take Care of Yourself' arrives on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ on Wednesday, October 7, and follows 2024's Netflix special 'What Had Happened Was…,' which he taped just one year after a brain bleed and stroke that nearly killed him. The 58-year-old tells the outlet the tone is noticeably different this time: fewer tears and more cracks at himself and other celebrities in his age bracket, plus jabs at Kim Kardashian and Donald Trump. He also spoke with ABC News' Will Reeve about the special and his health scare.
The Surprising Reveal: The Roast Changed the Material
The niche-shocking detail is in The Hollywood Reporter's interview: asked whether he cut anything from the special, Foxx said, "After that Kevin Hart roast, I had to cut everything." He explained that people became too sensitive, and that when audiences respond personally to certain jokes, a comedian decides to "tuck that away." He added that he didn't like Tony Hinchcliffe's George Floyd joke at all, and that he still wants to keep his material "refreshed" without bending anyone into a pretzel. Per THR, the special's title itself reflects the stage of life he's at, where people just tell him to take care of himself.
The Evidence: Foxx Answers His Critics
The Hollywood Reporter's Q&A also captures Foxx responding to fellow comedians who said his last special wasn't funny — including Katt Williams. "I said, 'I almost died.' When you almost died, you're not going to be like, 'knock knock, who's there,'" he told the outlet, adding that adversity gives a comedian something to talk about and that he and Katt have a project coming together. He also told THR he refuses to appear on Shannon Sharpe's Club Shay Shay podcast because "you got to talk crazy" to move the algorithm. In the ABC News interview, he discussed the health scare and how the special reflects his recovery.
The Stakes and What Comes Next
Foxx frames this era as a transition back to health and back to work. He tells The Hollywood Reporter he's thankful to be working, has two sports dramas coming up including 'Fight for '84,' and hopes the next things he does make people say "wow." He's also about to become a father for the third time and says he's a "kid guy" who misses the baby years. On politics, THR reports he calls himself a Democrat who "ain't never changing," but argues comedians want the "crazy" material either way.