Sheryl Underwood husband: What happened to Michael Sparkman? Kevin Hart roast sparks row

                                                                        

Sheryl Underwood’s late husband, Michael Sparkman, died by suicide in August 1990 after reportedly struggling with severe depression and mental health issues during their marriage. The couple had married in 1987, and Underwood has spoken publicly for years about the emotional trauma and grief she experienced after his death.

The topic resurfaced after Netflix’s recent roast of Kevin Hart, where comedians including Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe made jokes referencing Sparkman’s suicide. Some viewers criticized the remarks as crossing the line, while others defended them as typical “roast” humor.

Underwood has previously discussed the lasting impact of suicide on surviving family members, including in emotional conversations on The Talk. She revealed that Sparkman left a note before his death and said the pain “doesn’t go away.

                                                                          

The controversy became part of broader online debate surrounding the roast, which also generated backlash over jokes involving other celebrities such as Chelsea Handler.

The core details in this write-up do line up with real reporting about The Roast of Kevin Hart:

                                                                             

* The roast streamed live on Netflix on May 10, 2026, from the Kia Forum in Los Angeles as part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest.

* Shane Gillis hosted the event.

* Sheryl Underwood was widely mentioned afterward as one of the standout performers of the night.

* The roast included celebrities and comedians such as Kevin Hart, Tom Brady, Chelsea Handler, Pete Davidson, and others.

                                                                                

However, some of the specific quotes and “best set of the night” claims in the article you pasted do not appear in the reporting I could verify directly. I could not confirm:

* the exact “Big Gold Belt Media” quote,

* several of the attributed punchlines,

* or the exact wording of the emotional closing line.

So the article appears to mix confirmed event details with commentary and possibly reconstructed dialogue from the roast.

                                                                             

If you want, I can also:

* summarize the roast reactions overall,

* break down the biggest jokes,

* explain why Sheryl Underwood’s set is getting so much attention,

* or compare it to The Roast of Tom Brady.