Kevin Hart Defends Tony Hinchcliffe After Roast Backlash

Kevin Hart is in Tony Hinchcliffe's corner after the controversial comic was blasted for a George Floyd "joke" many believe to be racist during Kevin's roast ... and he wants people to quit beating him up for Tony's punchline.

As you know ... Hinchcliffe was torn apart by some comics and the family of George Floyd after he made a tasteless joke about Floyd, as well as quips about lynching and the suicide of comedian Sheryl Underwood's late husband.

Kevin disagrees with the haters, telling "The Breakfast Club" ... Tony is not a racist, and he was fine with the Floyd line in the context of a roast.

Kevin stressed he wouldn't tell that joke, but he understood why Hinchcliffe went there ... because going over the line is the point of a roast.

Chelsea Handler, who was also a part of Kevin's roast, was one of the most prominent voices to call out both Tony and event MC Shane Gillis as racist ... and said they ruined the night.

Floyd's family blasted both Tony and Kevin ... and were especially upset since that was the second roast in a row in which TH made a joke about Floyd, also making light of his death during Tom Brady's roast.

But again, Kevin said those mad at him were out of line ... and he revealed he even Floyd's pal Stephen Jackson after the roast to discuss Hinchliffe's joke. He did not say how Stephen reacted.