Chelsea Handler Was ‘Absolutely Giddy’ Around Tony Hinchcliffe Before Roast Drama

Chelsea Handler has been feuding with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe since Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart, but a new report claims their problems began before the show even started.

According to Rob Shuter‘s Naughty But Nice Substack published on Wednesday, May 27, a source saw Handler, 51, flirting with Hinchcliffe, 41, backstage ahead of Kevin Hart‘s roast and claimed that she was “absolutely giddy” around him.

“[Chelsea was] laughing extra hard, hovering around him, touching his arm — everyone noticed it immediately,” the source told Naughty But Nice, adding that Hinchcliffe didn’t return the admiration.

“Tony wanted nothing romantic with Chelsea. He liked the attention, but he wasn’t interested in her that way,” a separate source explained to the outlet.

However, sources believe that Hinchcliffe’s lack of interest may have been why the Chelsea Lately alum’s jabs at the MAGA comedian were more pointed than usual.

“Tony felt Chelsea came after him harder once she realized he wasn’t interested,” another source claimed. “And when Tony feels attacked, he goes scorched earth.”

During the Netflix special, Handler took aim at Hinchcliffe with several jokes, including saying that “Tony is what happens when women don’t have safe access to abortion care.”

However, sources close to Handler disagree that Hinchcliffe’s reported brushoff had anything to do with her set during the roast.

“This wasn’t just comics roasting each other,” a final source added. “There were real feelings involved.”

As In Touch previously reported, Handler has been at war with both Hinchcliffe and fellow comedian Shane Gillis since the event.

“They couldn’t say anything other than that I’m a whore or [talk about] my age … those aren’t jokes, that’s not clever writing,” she told Deon Cole during an appearance on his Funny Knowing You podcast on May 20.

Both Gillis, 38, and Hinchcliffe have responded to Handler’s remarks.

“This is a big moment for Chelsea. I am glad she’s capitalizing,” the Tires star told In Touch in a statement last week. “Good for her. We’re all rooting for her. Anyway come see me July 17 at the football stadium in Philly.”

Hinchcliffe opted for a more vulgar response.

“She was a bit of a c**t I’ll tell you that,” he said during the Monday, May 25, episode of the Kill Tony podcast. “She just kept coming at me.”