Stand-up comedian Hannah Berner has issued an apology, for not for the joke that has her trending on social media and Taylor Swift fans attempting to cancel her.
During this week’s “Torching 2024: A Roast of the Year,” on Netflix, Berner made a joke that including Swift and compared Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce to alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin Luigi Mangione.
“Luigi is so hot right now,” Berner said. “Who knew – besides Travis Kelce – that you could become so popular with women by shooting …”
Well, we will stop the NSFW right there. While vile, the joke didn’t directly connect Kelce and Mangione in any illegal activity.
And it was delivered at a roast, known for welcoming colorful language and personal attacks. But the Swifties leaped into action in reaction nonetheless, blasting Berner and demanding that she apologize to the iconic pop star.
So far, however, there’s been nothing from the comedian, Swift or Kelce, whose Chiefs finishing the regular season against the Broncos in Denver Sunday afternoon.
Berner, a rising star in the comedy industry, recently debuted her own special on Netflix that was became the streaming network’s No. 2 most popular stand-up show. Related: Chiefs’ Carson Wentz Reveals Fun Goal vs. Broncos She has also, however, been in hot water for a different joke from the roast.
That incident involved using actress and good Swift friend Blake Lively as the punch line. Berner later apologized after she learned that Lively is suing her “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni for sexual harassment and allegedly orchestrating a smear campaign.
“My joke in the Netflix roast was filmed before news of the lawsuit,” Berner said on her social media. “To be 100 percent clear, I support Blake.”
It will be interesting to see if Swift and Kelce escalate or diffuse the smoldering uproar over Berner’s joke.