Sheryl Underwood Breaks Silence On Joke About Husband’s Death

Former talk show host Sheryl Underwood suffered a devastating loss when her husband committed suicide early in their marriage. She’s spoken out several times about the heartbreaking death and serious nature of depression. However, his death was shockingly used as a punchline. Keep reading to find out what she had to say about the joke that left fans stunned.

What Happened To Sheryl Underwood’s Husband?

Not much is known about Sheryl Underwood’s husband. She has only ever publicly referred to him as “Michael,” but several media outlets identified him as Michael Sparkman. They married in 1987 when she was still an up-and-coming comedian.

Sadly, their marriage was cut short by his untimely death. He took his own life just three years after their wedding. Sheryl Underwood mentioned her husband’s suicide on The Talk in 2018 after fashion designer Kate Spade took her own life. “That pain … it doesn’t go away,” she said at the time about the heartbreaking loss.

Netflix’s Roast Of Kevin Hart Takes Shocking Turn

Sheryl Underwood was one of many comedians to take part in roasting Kevin Hart for a Netflix special. The attendees also included athletes like Tom Brady and The Rock. However, Kevin Hart wasn’t the only one to take the brunt of the jokes. Nearly everyone in attendance was roasted at one point or another.

Sheryl Underwood’s husband’s death was the material for jokes from several people. Shane Gillis, who served as host of the roast, said, “Sheryl’s husband killed himself. Apparently, Black does crack if it’s married to Sheryl and jumps off a f***ing roof.”

However, another comedian made headlines for his shocking joke at her expense. Tony Hinchcliffe went viral for a joke that many viewers considered “inappropriate” and went too far.

“Her (Sheryl Underwood) husband committed suicide 3 years into the marriage, I’ve been sitting next to her for 2 hours and I have to ask how did he last that long,” he told the stunned crowd. How did the recent guest host of The View respond?

Sheryl Underwood Breaks Silence On Joke About Husband’s Suicide

The cameras cut to Sheryl Underwood after both shocking jokes. She was seen on camera laughing along with the audience. The comedian had her turn at the microphone and took revenge for the jokes about her husband.

Tony Hinchcliffe did not hold back at the Kevin Hart roast 😭

“Her (Sheryl Underwood) husband commited suicide 3 years into the marriage, I’ve been sitting next to her for 2 hours and I have to ask how did he last that long” pic.twitter.com/N1cz0TqgFE

— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) May 11, 2026

“Question for the day is, who has had more Black d**k in this town? Me or Chelsea Handler? The answer is Tony Hinchcliffe,” she joked. But how did she really feel about her husband’s suicide as a punchline?

TMZ caught up with her after the roast. She didn’t seem bothered by the jokes about her husband’s death, touting the right to free speech. “Freedom of speech is alive and well at Netflix,” she said in response to the shocking jokes. Tell us in the comments if you think the comedians went too far making jokes about suicide.

Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger

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