Kevin Hart Has Stepped Down As Host Of The Oscars After A Series Of Unfortunate Apologies
Kevin Hart ignored the Hollywood Golden Rule which dictates that you always talk to your publicist first before responding to any controversy. As a result, he’s no longer going to be hosting this year’s Academy Awards. Just days after landing the gig The Hollywood Reporter claimed nobody wanted, the internet unearthed a number of homophobic tweets he posted in 2009 and 2010. And so while Kevin was sleeping (presumably in a well appointed twin bed), Twitter became a buzz with critics calling for his replacement as host. His initial response, only made things worse. Then The Academy gave him an ultimatum, apologize or they’d find someone else to host. His secondary response, only made things worser.
Kevin has a long history with homophobia. He had a bit in his 2010 comedy special Seriously Funny where he joked about how devastated he’d be if his son turned out to be gay. But that was mild compared to some of the slurs and language he used in some of his old tweets.
The tweets in question included a 2011 tweet in which the comedian and movie star had written, “Yo if my son comes home & try’s 2 play with my daughters doll house I’m going 2 break it over his head & say n my voice ‘stop that’s gay.'” In another from 2010, Hart says someone’s profile pic looks “like a gay bill board for AIDS.” In another written in 2009, he called someone a “fat faced fag.”
Apparently there were many more where those came from. He’s since removed them but as we know, the internet is forever, or at least until that blessed comet comes to put us out of our misery.
After seeing this @benfraserlee tweet, I did a search for every time Kevin Hart tweeted "fag," "homo," or "gay." It was…a lot. And he seems to have basically stopped tweeting those words after 2011 — i.e. the year his first stand-up movie became a hit. https://t.co/P8nTOilFgx pic.twitter.com/6uzPhnvt4F
— Adam B. Vary (@adambvary) December 5, 2018
Here’s Kevin’s initial response to those tweets.
Oh, did somebody wake up on the wrong side of the shoe box? Poor guy! I have to say, I thought he was going to come out himself when I read the sentence “I’m almost 40 years old and in love with the man” and I was like THIS IS AMAZING but it turned out the man was himself. This is why you talk to your publicist first, at the very least they are going to advise you to put on a shirt. Soon after this post went out, Kevin’s phone got to jingle janglin’. The Academy called, they wanted their ratings back. According to Kevin, they gave him an ultimatum.
Kevin wants us all to Be Best and stop the trolling! To be fair, Kevin has spoken on the issue as he claimed. In a 2015 Rolling Stone interview, Kevin said of the gay about his son in Seriously Funny : “I wouldn’t tell that joke today, because when I said it, the times weren’t as sensitive as they are now” which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Kevin has grown, mentally at least.
I have made the choice to step down from hosting this year's Oscar's….this is because I do not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing talented artists. I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community for my insensitive words from my past.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
I'm sorry that I hurt people.. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
And this morning he’s really proven he’s all about that growth life because he posted this.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Martin Luther King, Jr.
— Kevin Hart (@KevinHart4real) December 7, 2018
If you’re not quoting Martin Luther King in your Twitter apology, what are you even doing? At any rate, it looks like were still in need of a host for this thing. Qualified candidates should spend a little time going through their old tweets because the internet detectives are on high alert. Or maybe they could just find someone who isn’t an asshole. That would be nice.
Pic: Instragram