Over the years, the Kia Forum in Inglewood has played host to several events, including sporting events, concerts, and award shows. However, a Netflix roast featuring Shane Gillis as host, Kevin Hart as the subject, and Dwayne Johnson somewhere in the audience has its own unique atmosphere.
The best performers are the ones who show up looking like they didn’t think about it at all, and everyone in the room knows precisely how far they can push a joke until the audience shifts from laughing to something more unpleasant. That’s how Regina Hall looked when she arrived. It was certainly aided by the 5.5-inch Andrea Wazen platform heels.
| Event | Netflix Is a Joke Festival Presents: The Roast of Kevin Hart — held at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California; hosted by Shane Gillis; aired live on Netflix before becoming available on demand |
|---|---|
| Regina Hall’s Shoes | Andrea Wazen Loulou Crystal Platform 140 — black satin with crystal ankle-strap buckles; 5.5-inch stiletto heel balanced by a front platform; dramatically pointed toe; retail price $975 |
| Andrea Wazen (Designer) | Lebanese-British luxury footwear designer — born in London, raised in Beirut; trained under Christian Louboutin and Rupert Sanderson; launched her brand in Beirut in 2013; won the Footwear News Achievement Award for Emerging Talent in 2020 |
| Regina Hall’s Dress | Burgundy shimmering sequined maxidress — floor-length with plunging V-neck, long sleeves, draped effect, ruched hip detailing, concealed rear zip; the pointed toe of the platform heels peeked through the hemline |
| Hall and Hart’s History | Long-standing friendship and multiple professional collaborations — Hall took the stage to deliver jokes at Hart’s roast as a genuine friend, not a hired performer, which gave her set a different texture from some of the other roasters |
| Full Roaster Lineup | Chelsea Handler, Pete Davidson, Katt Williams, Jeff Ross, Tony Hinchcliffe, Draymond Green, Dwayne Johnson — hosted by Shane Gillis; one of the more eclectic lineups Netflix has assembled for a roast |
| Hall’s Recent Work | Currently starring in “One Battle After Another” and the upcoming “Scary Movie 6” — one of the most consistently working dramatic and comedic actresses of her generation |
Hall made an eye-catching entrance upon the Kia Forum red carpet. Retailing for $975, the Andrea Wazen Loulou Crystal Platform 140 in black satin has crystal buckles on the ankle strap, a sharply pointed toe, and a 5.5-inch heel balanced by a front platform that makes the height wearable rather than theoretical. It’s the kind of shoe that makes an impression before you even speak. Before starting her own business in Beirut in 2013, Wazen, a Lebanese-British designer, received training from Rupert Sanderson and Christian Louboutin.
She got the 2020 Footwear News Achievement Award for Emerging Talent. Her shoes are made in Italy, manufactured in Beirut, and designed in the Middle East—a provenance that is more significant than most readers of a red carpet caption would ever realize. Hall’s floor-length dress, a burgundy sequined maxidress with a plunging V-neck, long sleeves, ruched hip details, and the kind of sheen that reads wonderfully under stage lighting, made a statement in and of itself, with the pointed toe peeking through the hemline.
In any case, the ensemble would have been noteworthy. It’s more difficult to describe but easy to identify what made it work as a whole, such as Hall’s shoes, attire, and stage presence. She and Kevin Hart have collaborated on several projects and have been friends for many years. Her roast act was distinct from some of the other performers on the lineup because of that relationship.
Jokes develop when a comedian approaches a stranger to make fun of them. The best lines have a particular texture when someone who truly knows the individual climbs up; this precision can only be achieved by truly knowing what to aim at. Hall possesses that. It was felt across the Kia Forum.
By Netflix standards, the roast’s entire lineup was remarkably diverse. NBA player Draymond Green, Chelsea Handler, Pete Davidson, Katt Williams, Jeff Ross, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Dwayne Johnson—all of whom bring a distinct level of humor to the same topic. The fact that Shane Gillis hosted makes a statement about the current status of comedy’s cultural discourse.
The best thing you can say about any roast participant is that Hall felt like he belonged in that room and on that platform rather than being scheduled. Compared to some of her other roasters, the heels were an inch and a half taller. It’s difficult to ignore the fact that the detail seemed fitting.