Justin Bieber Roast Cuts Paul Walker Jokes; Comedy Central Releases Statement Before March 30 Premiere

The Comedy Central roasts are not known for being tame, and the recent lashing of singer Justin Bieber was no exception. Still, that doesn’t mean there’s no such thing as going too far. The network announced that it will cut some of the more provocative jokes about late actor Paul Walker.

The all-star roast, which taped on March 14 for a March 30 airdate, saw jokes about Bill Cosby, ISIS and more. However, the crowd really turned on two performers who invoked the name of “Fast & Furious” star Paul Walker. Roasters Jeff Ross and Pete Davidson’s lines about the actor will not appear in the broadcast.

“Roasts often push the limits of good taste and we give the participants full rein to try things knowing we have the edit to shape the show,” a rep for Comedy Central said in a statement. “Sometimes the line is discovered by crossing it. The Paul Walker references will not be in the telecast.”

Walker died in a car accident in November 2013 while taking a break from filming the latest installment in the "Fast & Furious" action movie franchise. He was honored at the South by Southwest premiere of the film, "Furious 7," over the weekend.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Ross took the podium and looked directly at Walker’s co-star and friend, fellow roaster Ludacris, before parodying the rapper's own lyrics.

“’Move b----, get out the way!’ is what Paul Walker should’ve told that tree,” he said to groans and booing from the audience. “Too soon? Too fast? Too furious?”

Few were surprised by Ross's joke as the performer has made a career out of being the most offensive person at the semi-annual roasts. Ludacris was visibly offended by the line and even made a “cut” gesture after the crowd died down. Meanwhile, “Saturday Night Live” star Pete Davidson came out with his own dig, according to Variety.

“Just this past year, Justin got arrested for drag racing,” he said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t with Paul Walker.”

As noted by Vulture, even the star of the evening wasn’t thrilled with the jokes about the late actor. When asked backstage what he thought the cruelest bit of the night was, Bieber said he “didn’t particularly like the Paul Walker jokes.”

“Furious 7” hits theaters April 3.